Negombo Dutch Fort and St Mary’s Church
The surviving gateway of a Dutch fort beside the lagoon, and a large Catholic church nearby with ceiling and wall paintings. Ten to twenty minutes each.
What Negombo’s fort and St Mary’s actually are
Negombo fort was built by the Portuguese. The Dutch took it in 1640, lost it to the Portuguese in 1643, and recaptured it in January 1644. In 1672 they rebuilt it on a pentagonal plan, and the British took it without a fight in February 1796. Wikipedia notes a granite slab over the gateway dated 1678, so you will see 1672 and 1678 in different guides.
Little is left: a recessed arched gateway, a stretch of the eastern rampart and mounds where the bastions stood. The British pulled down much of the rest in the late 19th century to build a court, an Anglican church and a prison. A large part of the site is still used by the Department of Prisons and is not open to visitors, so you look from outside.
St Mary’s is a Roman Catholic church in the town centre, and the reason Negombo is nicknamed Little Rome. Wikipedia says building began in 1874 and finished in 1922; another account says land was given in 1811 and the church completed in 1922. The ceiling and upper walls carry paintings, including biblical scenes by a local Buddhist painter, N.S. Godamanne.
Worth your attention
The fort gateway
The arched Dutch gateway, with a granite slab above it dated 1678. Guides sometimes say 1672.
The rampart and bastion mounds
A grassy stretch of the eastern rampart and raised mounds where bastions stood. You need some imagination.
The ceiling paintings
Paintings and alabaster images on the ceiling and upper walls of St Mary’s. Fr. Rozairo says the ceiling work is on alabaster.
The painter’s work
N.S. Godamanne, a Buddhist artist, painted biblical scenes on the upper walls, including the feeding of the 5,000.
Before you go
Do this
- View the fort from outside; the prison occupies much of the site
- Visit St Mary’s outside mass times
- Look up: the ceiling and upper walls hold the best art
- Dress modestly in the church
- Combine it with a walk along the Dutch canal
Know this first
- Much of the fort site is in use by the Department of Prisons and not open to the public
- The remains are slight, so do not expect a Galle-style fort
- The date on the gate (1678 vs 1672) is inconsistent in guides
- Sunday mornings are for services and are not a good time for sightseeing
Getting to Negombo Dutch Fort and St Mary’s Church
Most people see Negombo Dutch Fort and St Mary’s Church as part of a stay around Negombo. Our Negombo guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Negombo — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Negombo guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Negombo Dutch Fort and St Mary’s Church — frequently asked
What is left of the Negombo fort?
A recessed arched gateway, a part of the eastern rampart and mounds where bastions stood, plus later British-era buildings.
Can I go inside the fort?
Not generally. A large part is occupied by the Department of Prisons, so most visitors see it from outside.
Is St Mary’s a cathedral?
Sources call it a church. It is a large Catholic church in central Negombo, completed in 1922.
Why is Negombo called Little Rome?
Because of its many Catholic churches. Roughly two-thirds of residents are Catholic, according to Wikipedia.
Also worth stopping for around Negombo
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