See all Churches in Galle
Dutch Church
Church Street, Galle, Sri Lanka Phone: Not AvailableAbout
The small Groote Kerk (Great Church) is truly a place worth visiting, as it reveals a whole legendary story of ancient dutch period. Situated next to Amangalle Hotel is the oldest Protestant church in the island-dating from 1752 although the original structure was built in 1640. It was erected in gratitude after the birth of their first child by the Dutch commander Casparus de Jong & his wife. Built on the site of an earlier Portuguese Capuchin convent, the present structure was completed & consecrated in 1755. In 1760 a second-hand organ from Colombo was installed. Inside, the floor is covered by about 20 gravestones (some heavily embossed, others engraved), which originated in older graveyards which were closed in 1710 & 1804. The British moved them into this church in 1853. The organ loft has a lovely semicircular balustrade while the pulpit with an enormous canopy was made of calamander wood from Malaysia. It holds services in English twice monthly.
