Jaffna Fort
A fort built by the Portuguese in 1618 near the coast at Jaffna and named for Our Lady of Miracles. The Dutch took it in 1658 and expanded it, and a British garrison held it from 1795 until 1948.
- Where
- Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 9.6621, 80.0083
Get the Jaffna Fort stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Jaffna Fort. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Northern Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Jaffna Fort
Jaffna Public Library 0.4 km
One of the landmarks of Jaffna, a library first built in 1933 and once among the largest in Asia, holding over 97,000 volumes and manuscripts. It is run by the Municipal Council and was renovated with new buildings in 2001.
Nallur Kandaswamy Temple 2.7 km
The great Murugan temple of Jaffna, where the god is worshipped in the main sanctum in the form of his divine spear, the vel. Other shrines hold him as Shanmugar, as Muthukumaraswami and with his consorts Valli and Deivayanai.
Naguleswaram Temple 17 km
One of the oldest Hindu shrines of the north, and the northernmost of the island's Pancha Ishwarams of Shiva, at Keerimalai near Kankesanthurai. Beside it lie the Keerimalai Springs, whose mineral rich water is believed to heal.
Nagapooshani Amman Temple 26 km
A Hindu temple on the island of Nainativu, one of the 51 Shakta pithas, dedicated to Parvati as Nagapooshani and Shiva as Nayinaar. Its eastern gopuram rises about 33 metres, and the 16 day festival in June or July draws over 100,000 pilgrims.
Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya 26 km
An ancient Buddhist temple on Nainativu island, among the sixteen holiest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. Tradition says the Buddha came here five years after his enlightenment to settle a dispute between two warring Naga kings.
Delft Island 39 km
A flat island in the Palk Strait off Jaffna, reached by ferry. Unlike its neighbours it carries a Dutch name on Admiralty charts, and it is known for its wild ponies, coral stone walls and an old baobab tree.
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park 83 km
Twenty one islands and the reefs between them, the first marine national park in India.
Dhanushkodi 84 km
A town destroyed by a cyclone in 1964 and left as it fell, at the point where two seas meet and India stops.
More hidden gems in Northern Province
Questions
Where is Jaffna Fort?
Jaffna Fort is in Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Jaffna Public Library (0.4 km), Nallur Kandaswamy Temple (2.7 km), Naguleswaram Temple (17 km).
How do I get the Jaffna Fort stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Jaffna Fort and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Northern Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Jaffna Fort before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Northern Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.