Occupying the neck of a narrow peninsula, Fort Frederick has been a defensively important site for centuries. A fortress was initially constructed here by the Portuguese in 1623 and later rebuilt by the Dutch. The British assumed control in 1782 (look out for royal insignia crowning the elongated gateway tunnelled into the battlements). The fort is used today by the Sri Lankan military, but it's possible to explore on foot or by car.
Among the colonnaded colonial-era buildings is Wellesley House, named after a Duke of Wellington and dating from the late 1700s (not open to visitors). Note too the standing Buddha statue at Gokana Temple. Assorted cannons and artillery are dotted around the enclave, used as scratching posts for spotted deer and shade for peacocks.
