Jaffna Fort

The Fort was created in the early 1600s by the Portuguese but later captured by the Dutch in the mid-1600. They strengthened and expanded it. The Fort fell into the hands of the British in the late 1700s; and they held it until 1948. You will be able to see the strong stone walls; shored up in some places where they were crumbling; along with the many arched doorways and glimpses of the other buildings within it; such as the Governor's residence, Queen's House, the Garrison Parade Ground, and Police quarters.

Jaffna Public Library

The library was built in the early 1900s by those who wished to house the many historic Tamil texts in one place. The library soon became the biggest in the South East Asian region and was very famous. However, it was burnt down by Sinhalese extremists during the civil war; along with the destruction of many valuable literary treasures. The library was recently renovated and reopened; and you will find it a very peaceful place to visit. The lobby area also has a display containing many historical antiques from Jaffna which are worth having a look at.