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Dutch Reformed Church in Galle, also known as Groote Kerk is one of the oldest Protestant Churches in Sri Lanka, which is still in use. Located at the entrance of the Dutch Fort, it was built in 1755.
History
Foundations of this church were originally laid in 1682 but the construction had to be halted for several years. It was in 1752 that the work was reinitiated after a Dutch army officer, Casparus de Jong and his wife donated money as a thanksgiving for the long-awaited birth of their daughter. She was baptized only after the completion of the church in 1755. During the British era, the church underwent many alterations.
Architecture
Groote Kerk was built in traditional Doric style, bearing resemblance to the Wolvendaal Church in Colombo. It was also made in the form of a cruciform, with comparatively shorter transepts. Weight of the roof is not borne by a central pillar but by two large Dutch gables to the north and to the south.
Inside the Church
The organ placed here in 1760 is still, placed at where the altar used to be. The imposing pulpit inside, made from calamander wood from Malaysia, is one of the striking features.
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