Conservation of Dutch Fort in Batticaloa

This project is part of a proposal for conservation and preservation of heritage sites with a special reference to the Eastern and Northern Provinces 2009-2012 issued by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage in Sri Lanka under the auspices of the Sri Lanka – Netherlands Cultural Cooperation Programme.

The ancient Dutch Fort of Batticaloa is an archaeological site, which dates back to the eighteenth century AD. The fort is a national monument. In the surrounding area there are archaeological remains and structures that must be protected and preserved for the future generation. The fort and the building inside are in a good condition. There are several other buildings belonging to different periods ranging from the Dutch Period to the modern period. Although the entire fort was used as District Administration Centre, over the last two decades the ramparts were used for defence purposes. Therefore no archaeological maintenance works were carried out and especially thick vegetation is found all over the ramparts. The employees of the District Administration Centre are used to disposing rubbish on to the ramparts walls and there is a need for the implementation of a proper waste management programme.

OBJECTIVES
The goals of the project are the preservation of this National Archaeological Heritage Monument, as well as the upgrading of the surrounding environment, the upgrading of the administrative environment, the upgrading of the social and economic conditions of the community, creating a tourist attraction for the area, strengthening the ethnic relationship and the strengthening of the international relationship.

RESULTS
The project expects to realize the conservation of the ramparts walls, cleaning and preservation of the defence moat, conservation of buildings as per the archival records and excavations, the establishment of a Dutch Period Museum, providing visitor facilities including restaurants, shops, washrooms, parking etc., and improvement of the later added buildings.

See also:
Local Civic Organisations (Organisation)

not available yet (Organisation)