Galle The southern port city. A well known seaport from ancient times when merchant ships anchored here to trade for the Islands famous gems, exotic spices and other commodities. The famous fort in Galle originated as a small fort named Santa Cruz built by the Portuguese in 1589. After the Dutch occupation it was destroyed and rebuilt on a much larger scale to cover an area over 36 hectares. This World Heritage Site is a very interesting place to visit as the old and the modern city blend together in one area.