An imposing Portuguese-Dutch construction, this star-shaped fortress is situated right by the causeway to the island and ringed by a moat. It's desperately in need of renovation, but the ruins are atmospheric and contain the roofless remains of a chapel, dungeon and Dutch belltower. Climb the ramparts for an impressive perspective of the town and Gulf of Mannar.
The Fort was built in a quadrangular layout by the Portuguese in 1560, but captured by the Dutch in 1658, who rebuilt it in 1695, adding four bastions. A century later, the colonial merry-go-round turned again as the British occupied the structure, drawn to Mannar by the pearl banks offshore.
