354-year-old iron gates from Galle Fort removed

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Central Cultural Fund had removed the two iron gates from the 354-year-old entrance gate of the World Heritage Site Galle Fort, located on Baladaksha Mawatha on 16th March.

The iron gates were removed after the Maritime Museum had informed the Archaeological Department that the rusted doors could lead to lives being harmed or a car accident at any moment, more than three months earlier.

A Spokesperson for the Central Cultural Fund stated that the gates will be refitted once they are preserved.

Built as the tallest building in Sri Lanka by the Dutch after seizing control of the coast, the building continued to house their wares while this door remained as an archeological monument of Dutch architecture erected at that time.

This gate was renovated by the English after the Dutch and was last renovated in 2009.