The Dutch took the Fort by siege in 1640 and strengthened and extended the battlements. By 1655 it was established as the prosperous headquarters of the Dutch East India Company.

The British took Galle in 1796 after a pact with Napoleon when he invaded the Netherlands..

This is a small, ancient living village with post offices, courts, schools, shops warehouses, lawyers offices, churches, a mosque, the Buddhist temple, some of which haven;t changed for more than a century. About 400 houses line the five main streets and the entire Fort is less than ninety acres.
(just 700 x 400 metres)