The fortress, captured, fortified further, and expanded by the Dutch in 1640, stands at the historic Galle port, once a key stop along the ancient maritime Silk Route, its location attracting traders from Arabia, Persia, India, China, and later Europe. These influences shaped the city’s architecture, cuisine, and traditions.

Enclosed by massive moss-encrusted ramparts overlooking the Bay of Galle, the fort, sprawling over 2.5 km in circumference, is the largest remaining one built by Europeans in Asia. In 1988, UNESCO designated Galle Fort as a World Heritage Site.

Its historic mansions, boutique shops, hotels, and cafes, besides administrative buildings along cobbled streets, give Sri Lanka’s inaugural – and so far most prominent – literary festival a unique charm.

Attracting literary enthusiasts from across the world, the four-day festival has secured itself a place on the international literary calendar. It has become a platform for shaping Sri Lanka’s cultural identity and promoting literacy, and a globally recognized celebration of literature, food, culture, and the arts.

The festival was started by Anglo-Australian hotelier Geoffrey Dobbs in 2007, aiming to promote Sri Lanka’s boutique tourism industry and bring Sri Lankan authors alongside internationally recognized authors.

This year marked the Festival’s 12th edition over 17 years. The event could not take place between 2013 and 2017 due to operational setbacks, or between 2020 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restarted in 2024, this year’s literary celebrities included Michael Attenborough CBE from the United Kingdom, Jenny Erpenbeck from Germany, and Susan Jung from Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand. There was also representation from neighboring nations like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.