Matara Tharaka Fort is a fort located on the eastern bank of the Nilwala River in the city of Matara, Sri Lanka, approximately 350 meters (1,150 ft) from the entrance to Matara Fort. Built by the Dutch in 1765, this fort was originally known as "Redoute Van Eck". By 1640, the Dutch had built the main fort of Matara, but found it vulnerable to attacks from the interior. In the year 1762, the Sinhalese forces, who had taken power in the kingdom of Kandy, attacked the fort and seized its power.[1] In 1763, the Dutch regained control of the fort and in that year started building another smaller fort on the eastern bank of the Nilwala River to protect the main fort from attacks from the river.
This star fort was built in the unique shape of a six-pointed star, providing space for 12 large cannons to cover the approaches from all directions. The rampart or outer wall is about 7.5 meters (25 ft) wide and surrounded by a moat 6 meters (20 ft) wide and 3.1 meters (10 ft) deep. The rampart walls of the fort are built of granite rock and coral and are 14 feet (4.3 m) wide. The fort was built to hold a small garrison, food supplies and enough ammunition to withstand an attack, before being reinforced by the main fort. There were also 2 prison cells in the fort and a well with a diameter of 2.75 meters (9 feet) in the center to supply water. The drainage system was internal and collected water from the monsoons was discharged into the moat. Above the main entrance the fort bears the date of its construction (1765), the coat of arms of the Dutch East India Company and the Governor's coat of arms flanked by two rampart lions. The entrance gate of Taraka Fort, which is decorated with coral, is decorated with the inscription "Ra' Dut One Ek 1763" in memory of the Dutch Governor of Sri Lanka, Lubert Jan Baron One Ek (1719 - 1765). The roof of the building was originally thatched with coconut fronds and later replaced with clay tiles.
The fort is considered to be the last major defensive pillar built by the Dutch, but it never got the chance to prove its effectiveness. With the conquest of Sri Lanka in 1796, the Dutch handed over the fort to the British. The British used it as an administrative office and from 1965, it was used as a library until it was acquired by the Department of Archeology in 1975.[1] The fort has