Elephant Pass Fort | |
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Elephant Pass, Sri Lanka | |
Coordinates | 9°31′24″N 80°24′29″E / 9.523343°N 80.408080°E |
Type | Defence fort |
Site information | |
Condition | Destroyed |
Site history | |
Built | 1776 |
Built by | Dutch |
Materials | Granite Stones |
Battles/wars | Many |
Elephant Pass Fort (Tamil: ஆனையிறவுக் கோட்டை, romanized: Āṉaiyiṟavuk Kōṭṭai; Sinhala: අලිමංකඩ බලකොටුව Alimankada Balakotuwa) was a small fort in the strategically important spot as it linked Jaffna peninsula to the mainland. It was built by the Dutch in 1776 on the banks of the Jaffna lagoon.[1]
The fort was served as a defensive structure to protect the Jaffna peninsula. It was like a well-fortified stockade or a watch post. It had two bastions, and each bastion was equipped with four cannons.[2] Elephant Pass Fort was linearly located with Fort Beschutter and Fort Pass Pyl in the narrow part of the peninsula. During the British rule, the fort was used as a rest house. It was destroyed during the Sri Lankan civil war.