Galle
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2008-07-10T16:52:23Z
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{{For|the [[astronomer]]|Johann Gottfried Galle}}
{{For|the [[List of French artists|French artist]]|Émile Gallé}}
{{Infobox Settlement
| name = Galle
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| image_skyline = galle-main-roundabout.jpg
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| image_caption = View of the city from the sea side
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| subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]]
| subdivision_name = [[Sri Lanka]]
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = [[Southern Province, Sri Lanka|Southern Province]]
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| leader_title = [[Mayor]]
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| area_total_km2 = 1652
| area_land_km2 = 1617
| area_water_km2 = 35
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| population_as_of = 2001
| population_footnotes = | population_note =
| population_total = 990,500
| population_density_km2 = 613
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| population_blank1_title = [[Demonym]]
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| utc_offset = -5
| timezone = [[Time zone#UTC .2B 6.2C F|Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone]]
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| latd=6 | latm=3 | lats=0 | latNS=N
| longd=80 | longm=13 | longs=0 | longEW=E
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| website = [http://www.gallesrilanka.com/ Galle city website]
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}}
'''Galle''' (ගාල්ල in [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]; காலி in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]) (pronounced as one syllable in English, {{IPAEng|gɔːl}}, the same as "Gaul", and in [[Sinhalese language|Sinhalese]], {{IPA2|gaːlːə}}) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of [[Sri Lanka]], 119 km from [[Colombo]]. Galle was known as ''Gimhathiththa'' (although [[Ibn Batuta]] in the 14th century refers to it as ''Qali'') before the arrival of the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the [[United Kingdom|British]], who developed the harbor at Colombo.
Galle lies in [[Galle District]].
On [[26 December]], [[2004]] the city was devastated by the massive [[Boxing Day Tsunami]] caused by the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]] that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of [[Indonesia]]. Thousands were killed in the city alone.
Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by [[Europe]]ans in south and southeast [[Asia]], showing the interaction between European [[architectural]] styles and south Asian traditions. [[Galle fort]] is a world heritage site and the largest remaining [[fortress]] in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent [[landmark]]s in Galle include [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Galle|St. Mary's Cathedral]] founded by [[Jesuit]] [[priest]]s, one of the main [[Shiva]] temples on the island, and The [[Amangalla]], a historic luxury hotel.
Galle is the main town in the most southerly part of the island, with a population of around 100,000, and is connected by rail to Colombo and [[Matara, Sri Lanka|Matara]]. It is home to a [[cricket]] ground, the [[Galle International Stadium]], rebuilt after the 2004 tsunami. Test matches resumed there on December 18, 2007.
[[Rumassala Kanda]] is a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of the [[Ramayana]].
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
|Name = Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
|Image = [[Image:srilanka galle fort.jpg|300px|The Fort: View of the lighthouse]]
|State Party = {{SRI}}
|Type = Cultural
|Criteria = iv
|ID = 451
|Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Asia and Australasia|Asia-Pacific]]
|Year = 1988
|Session = 10th
|Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/451
}}
== History ==
[[Image:Ceylan-map.png|thumb|left|Sri Lanka with Galle]]
[[Image:Mosquegalle0775.JPG|thumb|right|[[Mosque]]]]
[[Image:Wackwella, Galle.JPG|thumb|The beauty of Galle countryside, Wakwella with [[Sri Lanka]]'s longest bridge on the river Gin]]
According to [[James Emerson Tennent]], Galle was the ancient seaport of [[Tarshish]], from which [[King Solomon]] drew [[ivory]], [[peacocks]] and other valuables. Certainly, [[cinnamon]] was exported from Sri Lanka as early as 1400 BC and the root of the word itself is [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], so Galle may have been the main [[entrepot]] for the spice.
Galle had been a prominent seaport long before western rule in the country. [[Persians]], [[Arabs]], [[Greeks]], [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malays]] and [[India]]ns were doing business through Galle port. The "modern" history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first [[Portugal|Portuguese]] ship, under [[Lourenço de Almeida]] was driven there by a storm. However, the people of the city refused to let the Portuguese enter it, so the Portuguese took it by force.
In 1640, the Portuguese had to surrender to the [[Dutch East India Company]]. The Dutch built the present [[Fort]] in the year 1663. They built a fortified wall, using solid granite, and built three bastions, known as "sun", "moon" and "star".
After the [[British Empire|British]] took over the country from the Dutch in the year 1796, they preserved the Fort unchanged, and used it as the administrative centre of Galle.
==Demographics==
Galle is sizeable town, by Sri Lankan standards, and has a population of 90,934, the majority of whom are of [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] ethnicity; there is a large [[Sri Lankan Moor]] minority who are the descendants of the [[Arab]] traders that established the ancient port of Galle.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|-
!Ethnicity!!Population!!% Of Total
|-
|-
|[[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]]||66,114||72.71
|-
|[[Sri Lankan Tamils]]||989||1.09
|-
|[[Indian Tamils]]||255||0.28
|-
|[[Sri Lankan Moors]]||23,234||25.56
|-
|Other (including [[Burgher people|Burgher]], [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]])||342||0.38
|-
|Total|| 90,934||100
|-
|}
Source: [http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/PDF/Population/p9p8%20Ethnicity.pdf 2001 Census]
== Universities ==
[[Image:Engfac Galle1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Faculty of engineering, Galle]]
Two main faculties of [[University of Ruhuna]] are located in Galle. [[Faculty Of Engineering Ruhuna|Faculty of Engineering]] is located at Hapugala about 5 km from the city center. The faculty of Medicine is located at Karapitiya near the [[Karapitiya Hospital]].
* Faculty Of Engineering [http://www.eng.ruh.ac.lk visit]
* Faculty of Medicine [http://www.ruh.ac.lk/Uni/medicine/Medicine.html visit]
{{clr}}
== Schools ==
*[[Richmond College]] (established in 1876)[http://www.richmondcollege.lk Richmond College Website]
*[[Mahinda College]] (established in 1892)[http://www.mahindacollege.lk Mahinda College Website]
*[[St.Aloysius College]] (established in 1895)
*Southlands College (established in 1885)
*Sangamitta Girls'College
*Sacred Heart Convent
*Vidayaloka College
*Rippon Girls' College
*All Saints College (established in 1867)
*Christ Church Boys College
*Christ Church Girls College(established in 1888)
*[[Siri Dhamma College]] (established in 1995)
*Nagoda Jathika Pasala.
*Olcot Mix College
*G/Battemulla Maha Vidyalaya,Imaduwa
*Malharus Sulhiya National School
*Muslim Ladies College
*Kathaluwa Central College
*Sariputhra Maha Vidyalaya, Ahangama
==Twin cities==
[[Image:Galle Dutch Fort cricket ground.jpg|thumb|Galle Cricket Ground]]
The City of Galle is twinned with:
{|
| valign="top" |
* {{flagicon|Netherlands}} - [[Velsen]], [[The Netherlands]]
|}
Although not an official twin city, {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Melbourne]], [[Australia]] 'adopted' Galle after the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|2004 tsunami disaster]], funding the reconstruction of its cricket ground and providing financial and other support, including a mobile library.
==Maps==
*[http://www.liccavi-earth.com/Liccavi/Search.aspx?lat=6.03419&lon=80.21674&zoom=10 Detailed map of Galle and Sri Lanka]
== See also ==
* [[Tsunami]]
* [[Place names in Sri Lanka]]
== External links ==
*[http://discover.lankanest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=71.html/ Discover Sri Lanka - More information & images on Galle and Galle Fort]
*[http://discover.lankanest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=71.html/ Discover Sri Lanka - More information & images on Physical and historical Position of Galle]
{{commons|Category:Galle|Galle}}
* [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/451 Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, UNESCO World Heritage ]
* [http://www.srilankatourism.org/ Official website of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board]
* [http://cf.hum.uva.nl/galle/ Maritime Archaeology & History of Sri Lanka]
* [http://www.ulivewhere.com/low/downloads/download-galle.html Audio interview with Galle resident about life in Galle] {{en icon}}
* [http://www.tourslanka.com/Galle.htm The Walled City - Galle]
* [http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/20020507_01/ CPAmedia Historic Galle]
* [http://www.lankalibrary.com/heritage/gall.html A Historic tour through the city of Galle]
* [http://www.lankalibrary.com/heritage/galle.html The old world's romantic city: Galle!]
* [http://www.lankalibrary.com/geo/galle1.html Galle - A Port City in History]
<br/>{{Sri Lankan cities}}
{{Provincial capitals of Sri Lanka}}
{{World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka}}
{{coor title dm|6|03|N|80|13|E|region:LK_type:city}}
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