Trincomalee

Overview

• Trincomalee is located 237 kilometers from Colombo and 182 kilometers southeast of Jaffna in the Trincomalee District of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Having an immense cultural value since ancient times is a special fact that Trincomalee stands out from other cities. In addition, it is home to a Sinhala and Tamil speaking population, with a diverse religious community.

• The Trincomalee coastline can be seen from the fort and this beach is a beautiful place with white sand and beautiful blue coral. Trincomalee District is one of the oldest districts in Asia, and the naval port located here has been an important economic center of the country from history.The

• Naval Museum, Gokanna Rajamaha Viharaya, Trincomalee Fort, and Koneshwaram Temple can be introduced as places that have attracted a lot of tourist attraction here in Trincomalee. The Naval Museum is also known as Hood’s Tower Museum and it is a museum that belongs to the Sri Lanka Navy located in Trincomalee. Hood’s Tower is an observation tower located in the museum grounds, named in memory of Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, a former commander of the East India Company.

• The site of the Trincomalee Naval Museum is believed to be the site of a fortified fort used by King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186) to invade the Pandya area in India and to dispatch his naval forces against Burma. The place takes its name “Ostenburg” from Fort Ostenburg, a small fort built by the Dutch at the entrance to the inner harbor of Trincomalee and later surrendered to the British in 1795.

• Fort Frederick, also known as Trincomalee Fort, is a fort built by Portuguese colonialists in Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, using the ruins of the world-famous ancient Hindu Koneswaram Temple. The Dutch, English, and French later occupied the fort.

• Trincomalee Fort was a frontline in military conflicts between the 17th and 20th centuries. A part of the fort is still used today as a camp of the Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, while many important government buildings, such as the District Secretariat and the Additional Election Commissioner’s Office, are concentrated within the fort.

• There is a temple maintained by the security forces inside the Trincomalee fort. It is named after the Gokanna Rajamaha Viharaya, which was built in the 3rd century AD by King Mahasen, which was later destroyed by the Portuguese invaders. There is a tall standing statue in the temple. From the base of this statue, one can enjoy a spectacular view of Trincomalee city and its surroundings.

• The famous Hindu temple, Thirukoneswaram Temple, and the great cliff called Lover’s Leap are also located within the fort. Moreover, the beauty of the fort is further enhanced by the lush, mountainous surroundings. And also, a significant population of deer resides within the walls of the Trincomalee Fort, and they are very tame.