Point Pedro fort

{{Short description|17th-century fort in Port Pedro, Sri Lanka}}

{{Infobox Military Structure

|name = Point Pedro fort

|partof = Jaffna

|location = Jaffna, Sri Lanka

|image =

|caption =

|map_type =

|map_size =

|map_caption =

|type = Defense fort

|coordinates =

|code =

|built = 1665

|builder = Dutch

|materials = limestone and coral{{cite web|title=Memoir of Hendrick Zwaardecroon, Commandeur of Jaffnapatam (afterwards Governor-General of Nederlands India) | date=1697 |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40579/40579.txt | last=Zwaardecroon | first=Hendrick | accessdate=28 November 2014}}

|height =

|used =

|demolished =

|condition = Destroyed

|open_to_public =

|controlledby =

|garrison =

|current_commander =

|commanders =

|occupants =

|battles = Several

|events =

|}}

Point Pedro fort ({{langx|ta|பருத்தித்துறைக் கோட்டை|translit=Paruttittuṟaik Kōṭṭai}}; {{langx|si|පේදුරුතුඩුව බලකොටුව}} Peduruthuduwa Balakotuwa) is a fort built in 1665 by the Dutch in Point Pedro, Sri Lanka. It was constructed during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, by the Dutch East India Company to counter a possible British attack from the Bay of Bengal.{{cite web | url=http://www.atlasofmutualheritage.nl/en/Point-Pedro.1569p | title=Point Pedro | publisher=Atlas of Mutual Heritage | accessdate=28 November 2014}}

On the 27 August 1795, the fort was captured by British forces, the 61st Pioneers (also known as 1st Battalion Sepoys).{{cite news | url=http://www.ceylontoday.lk/59-10189-news-detail-the-role-of-indian-troops-in-ceylon.html | newspaper=Ceylon Today | title=The Role of Indian troops in Ceylon | date=25 July 2012 | accessdate=15 November 2014}}

It is reported that the basement was triangular in shape, which led to it being built as a nearly triangle-shaped fort. It had only one bastion towards the landward side and it was lacking space inside the fort due to its structure. The seaside structure of the fort was just a wall with no bastions or cannons.{{cite book | author1=Nelson, W. A. | title=The Dutch Forts of Sri Lanka – The Military Monuments of Ceylon | publisher=Sri Lanka Netherlands Association | date=2004 | author2=De Silva, R. K. | pages=103}} Further details of the fort have been identified from Dutch era maps. According to the maps, one side wall was {{convert|80|m|abbr=on}} long and the other two walls were {{convert|42|m|abbr=on}} in length.{{cite book | author1=Nelson, W. A. | title=The Dutch Forts of Sri Lanka – The Military Monuments of Ceylon | publisher=Sri Lanka Netherlands Association | date=2004 | author2=De Silva, R. K. | pages=104}}