Ratnapura Portuguese fort ( si, රත්නපුර පෘතුගීසි බලකොටුව ''Rathnapura Pruthugisi Balakotuwa''; ta, இரத்தினபுரி போர்த்துக்கேயக் கோட்டை, translit=Irattiṉapuri Pōrttukkēyak Kōṭṭai) was built by the Portuguese in Ratnapura,

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. The Portuguese constructed the fort and a church, between 1618 and 1620, on the ground of Saman Devalaya (an ancient devale or Hindu shrine) following the defeat of the King of Sitawaka, Rajasinha I. The town and the fort was later captured by Kirti Sri Raja Singha (the second Nayaka king of Kandy, who destroyed the church and the fort and constructed a Buddhist temple,

Maha Saman Devalaya Maha Saman Devalaya or the Great Saman Temple (also called Sumana Saman Devalaya) is a shrine dedicated to deity Saman (deity), Saman, situated at Ratnapura, Sri Lanka who is the presiding deity of the Sri Pada Mountain which is also called Samant ...

, on the site. In the temple grounds there is a stone sculpture, which depicts the Portuguese General Simao Pinnao, on horseback brandishing a sword, whilst trampling a Sinhalese soldier.

References

{{Forts and fortresses of the Portuguese empire, state=collapsed Forts in Sabaragamuwa Province Portuguese forts in Sri Lanka Buildings and structures in Ratnapura District Archaeological protected monuments in Ratnapura District

See also

References