Kumar Sangakkara has reached his 37th hundred  at the first test match, which is currently underway in Galle against Pakistan.

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene came together for their 18th century partnership in Tests, moving two short of the record of 20 set by Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

Sangakkara made his 37th hundred, Jayawardene his 49th fifty. It was Sangakkara’s tenth century against Pakistan, making him the seventh batsman to do so against a team.

All this was squeezed into 20 overs as periodic showers ate into an extended second session, and a threatening dark cloud forced tea to be taken five minutes early.

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene confidently took  Sri Lanka to 252 for two at tea on the third day of the first test against Pakistan.

The 12 room property on Church Street boasts a rich history dating back to 1695, a little younger than the key landmark in which it resides, the fortress of Galle, built by the Dutch East India Company in 1663. The property was once the home to one of the most prestigious gem merchant families in Asia, the Macan Markers, famed for their sapphire collection including the 182 carat “star of Bombay” now in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

The property ceased to be a private residence in the latter stages of the first half of the 20th century and post independence, (1948), it spent time, among other identities, as a bakery as well as the fort post office.

Following its restoration the hotel opened its doors in November 2004, just weeks before the Boxing Day Tsunami. In the immediate aftermath of this tragic event The Galle Fort Hotel was a centre of operations for NGOs, journalists and other organisations as well as providing support to the surviving victims.

oday the hotel is a collection of buildings from different periods, testament to its prominence through the ages and each reflecting different architectural styles.

The heritage wing, that dates to the early 18th century, houses a range of suites each with a unique character. For example the Admiral Cheng Ho Suite, or ACH as the guests refer to, commemorates the great Chinese explorer who paid several visits to Galle, the first in 1405. The Porcelain Suite has a display of antique Chinese ceramics between the bathroom and bedroom and original Dutch period 9m (30 ft) ceilings.

There are other antiques on display in the other guest rooms as well as the public areas of the hotel. These are all part and parcel of this boutique heritage hotel and add to its charm and character.

The hotel has maintained an enviable reputation for food in its short history, even with the current interest in the fort today and the increasing range of cafes and restaurants.

From its casual lunch time cafe menu and tapas bar menu to the fine dining Asian fusion set dinners, well catered for both foreign and local guests. The bar has a full range of drinks including an extensive wine and cocktail list. The restaurant and bar are open to the public daily from 12pm. The newly revamped page of the Galle Fort Hotel can be found on Facebook.

The beautiful capital of the Southern Province, Galle boasts of a history stretching back centuries, even before the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial times. In the old days when Galle was a busy port, foreign traders – Greeks, Arabs, Romans and Chinese stopped by. Galle is marked in Ptolemy’s world map of 125-150 AD and the Arab traveller Ibn Batuta made it a port of call in the mid 14th century.

Galle’s Dutch Fort declared an archeological reserve by the UN since 1969 is also a UNESCO world heritage site. Enter the Fort through one of the two main entry points- the Main Gate built by the British in 1873, between the Sun and Moon Bastions, and the Old Gate on Queen Street which was completed by the Dutch in 1669.

Interestingly, construction of the Fort was started by the Portuguese who first arrived in Galle in 1505 with Lorenzo de Almeida making contact with King Dharmaparakramabahu and getting his blessings to build a camp. Built ostensibly to ensure the safety of the island, ultimately it became a prison for the local Sinhalese who rebelled against the Portuguese oppression.

After a bloody siege in 1640, the Dutch seized Galle Fort and began constructing the magnificent 36 hectare hexagonal stone fort that survives intact to this day, with its granite and coral bastions and military architecture of European design. The Dutch introduced a system of roads and canals for transportation and a sewage system that carried all the waste from inside the Fort to the sea by gravity, using the high tide.

The British army took over the Fort in 1796 and today, centuries later, it remains the best preserved and most intact fortified city built by the former European colonial rulers in Asia. The narrow streets of Galle Fort lined with villas and old houses with pillared verandahs and arched doorways which still bear Dutch lettering on their facades, while redolent of the past, are equally the setting for a living city with residents going about their day-to-day business and walking the old ramparts at sunset.

Galle’s mixed cultural heritage is plain to see- the sound of church bells mingles with the call to prayer from the mosques and the Pali chants from Buddhist temples heard every evening.

Stroll through the quaintly named streets- Pedlar Street, Church Street and you will see the Old Dutch and English churches. Pause to explore the old Dutch Reformed Church (Groote Kerk) with its gabled roofs which was built in 1640 though the present structuredates from 1752 to 1755. This has the tombs of Dutch officials within and carved memorial tablets on the walls which hint at intriguing stories of lives lost.

Opposite is the old Dutch Government House, dating back to 1683. For a feel of the British, walk further down Church Street to the Gothic style All Saints Church. Its construction was begun in 1868 and consecrated in 1871, the church stands out as one of the most beautiful Anglican Churches in Sri Lanka.

The massive VOC (the Dutch East India Company) warehouses, the Court Square, the elegant pillared facade of the Old Dutch hospital, the Shri Sudarmalaya Buddhist temple and the Clock Tower are all other sites worth exploring. Make sure to take a walk down Leyn Baan Street to reach the ramparts. The Meeran Jumma Mosque re-built in 1904 is a landmark not to be missed. The original mosque is said to have stood from the 1750s.

Arriving at the ramparts stop by the lighthouse, to take in the view. This is an offshore Lighthouse operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and incidentally the country’s oldest light station dating back to 1848 though the original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1934.

The Dutch Warehouse and National Maritime Museum and Information Centre is another ‘must-see’ not just for maritime buffs for its collection of marine biological and anthropological material but also because of its innovative and modern display and effective use of an original historic space- the warehouse was built in 1671. The first gallery depicts the types of watercraft used in passenger transport and maritime trading in southern Sri Lanka.

The second gallery is focused on marine eco systems and their flora and fauna. Models of mangroves, sea shore plants, turtles, sea birds and marine mammals are displayed with their taxonomic details. Don’t miss the large skeleton of a Whale mounted on the roof. The Museum is closed on national holidays, Sundays and Mondays but open from 9 – 5 on other days. A nominal entry fee is charged.
The Galle National Museum in the oldest Dutch building of the Galle Fort, constructed in 1656 has a collection of traditional masks used in various rituals, ornamental objects made up of turtle shell, ancient wooden carvings and a Beeralu collection. There are large water vessels, V.O.C. porcelain and arms and weapons used by the Dutch soldiers, all obtained from Dutch ships of yore. Opening hours are like the Maritime Museum.

Another landmark in the Fort is the magnificent colonial mansion built in 1684 to house the Dutch Governor and his staff and converted into the New Oriental Hotel in 1856. It is now the luxurious ‘Amangalla’ Hotel.

At sunset, stop by the ramparts to see the ‘jumpers’ in action. These young men who make the daring and dangerous leap off the ramparts into the churning waters below are an integral part of the Fort experience.

There’s no doubt, Galle Fort has a trendy vibe thanks to the advent of boutiques, hotels and restaurants, coffee shops, designer clothing shops and galleries. Home to the Galle Literary Festival which brought international writers and literary minded visitors, the Fort has become a popular location for television commercials, photo-shoots and even movies. The sizeable population of foreign artists and writers has seen cafes and coffee shops mushrooming to cater to the demand, so there are places aplenty for lunch, tea or coffee to suit your budget.