“The floor of this colonial church is paved with the carved gravestones of long-dead Dutch colonists, some moved here from an older cemetery.”
About Dutch Reformed Church
The Groote Kerk was completed in 1755 by the Dutch, reportedly funded in part by a commander in gratitude for the birth of a daughter. As the main Protestant church of the Dutch community in Galle Fort, it served the colonists who controlled the port. Over time, gravestones from the colonial cemetery were set into its floor, turning the building into a record of the settlers buried beneath and around it.
About Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church, or Groote Kerk, inside Galle Fort is one of the oldest Protestant churches still in use in Sri Lanka, a serene colonial building dating from the mid-18th century. Plain and dignified outside, its real fascination lies underfoot, where the floor is paved with the old gravestones of Dutch colonists.
The Dutch Reformed Church, or Groote Kerk, inside Galle Fort is one of the oldest Protestant churches still in use in Sri Lanka, a serene colonial building dating from the mid-18th century.
A Floor of Gravestones
The church floor is laid with elaborately carved tombstones, many moved here from an older Dutch cemetery, marking the graves of officials and their families who died in the colony, some of them centuries ago. The inscriptions and family crests record the lives and deaths of the Dutch community that ran Galle as a fortified trading port. An ornately carved wooden pulpit and an old organ add to the historic atmosphere.
The Experience
Inside, a cool, simple interior and find the floor covered with weathered tombstones, their Dutch inscriptions and coats of arms telling of lives lived and lost in the distant colony. The antique pulpit, pews and organ complete the 18th-century scene. Quiet and atmospheric, the church is a moving stop on a walk through the historic streets of Galle Fort.
Why It Matters
The Dutch Reformed Church is one of the most evocative colonial buildings in Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserving the religious life and the very graves of the Dutch community. Its gravestone floor makes the human story of colonial Galle unusually tangible.
The Dutch Reformed Church is one of the most evocative colonial buildings in Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserving the religious life and the very graves of the Dutch community.
Why Visit
One of Sri Lanka's oldest Protestant churches, where the floor of carved Dutch gravestones tells the story of the colonists who once ruled Galle Fort.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Look down; the floor of Dutch gravestones is the highlight.
- 2
Note the carved wooden pulpit and antique organ.
- 3
It is an active church, so visit respectfully and quietly.
- 4
It sits within the walkable lanes of Galle Fort.
