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in 1792 to produce the classic Vaubanesque
star form.
Jaffna’s fort has been fought over for cen-
turies. Today you’re free to explore its walls,
admire its gateways and moats and view the
city from its ramparts.
Long the gatehouse of the city, this citadel
once housed thousands of troops and civil-
ians. Many of its walls (constructed from cor-
al, stone, brick and mortar) are still hidden
beneath overgrown slopes.
During the war, government forces
used it as an encampment, and in 1990 the
LTTE – at the time in control of the rest of
Jaffna – forced out government troops after a
grisly 107-day siege.Jaffna Public Library lIBrAry
(http://english.jaffnalibrary.lk; esplanade rd;
h9am-7pm) Tellingly, one of the first major
buildings to be rebuilt after the 2002 cease-
fire was Jaffna’s Public Library. The earlier
library was burnt down by pro-government
mobs (some say forces) in July 1981, a de-
struction deemed a cultural attack by many
Tamils – few acts were more significant in
the build-up to civil war. In its reconstruc-
tion, architects kept true to the elegant orig-
inal neo-Mughal design. Today it’s a bright
spacious place that’s very actively used by
Jaffna’s citizens.Jaffna residents had long considered their
city to be one of Asia’s finest intellectual cap-
itals, and the library was an important Tamil
cultural centre and historic institution (it was
inaugurated in 1841). The world-renowned
collection included more than 90,000
volumes, including irreplaceable Tamil doc-
uments such as the one surviving copy of
Yalpanam Vaipavama, a history of Jaffna.
All of this went up in flames.
There’s a statue of Saraswati – Hinduism’s
goddess of knowledge – out front.Royal Palace ruIN
(Chemmani rd) Nallur was the capital of the
Jaffna Kingdom for 400 years, and a few
weathered structures remain. They’re worth
the excursion if you have a good imagina-
tion. Yamuna Eri, a U-shape pool made of
carved stones, is neglected but still intact –
it’s thought to have been the royal family’s
women’s bathing pool. The tank is behind a
playground on Chemmani Rd, about 500m
from Kachcheri–Nallur Rd.
Around the corner on Point Pedro Rd are
Cankili Thoppu archway, one of the palace’s
original entrances, and the beautifully crum-
bling Manthri Manai (Minister’s Quarters).Jaffna Archaeological Museum MuseuM
(Nawalar rd; donations accepted; h8am-4.45pm
wed-Mon) This unkempt but interestingJaffna
æ Sights Green Grass.................................... (see 11)
1 Alliance Française................................... G4 21 Hotel Rolex...............................................B3
2 British Council.........................................G 4 Jaffna Heritage Hotel .....................(see 12 )
3 Jaffna Archaeological Museum .............F3 22 Malayan Café...........................................B 3
4 Jaffna Fort................................................B4 23 Mangos.....................................................G1
5 Jaffna Public Library..............................B4 24 Rio Ice Cream...........................................F 2
6 Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil.......................G 1
7 Our Lady of Refuge Church...................D 4 û Drinking & Nightlife
8 St James'.................................................D6 Morgan's..........................................(see 14 )
9 St Mary's Cathedral.................................E6^(^) þ Shopping
ÿ Sleeping 25 Anna Coffee..............................................B 3
10 Fits Pavilion...............................................F5 26 Art Gallery................................................F3
11 Green Grass..............................................E4 27 Future World............................................C3
12 Jaffna Heritage Hotel.............................G2 28 Jaffna Market...........................................B 3
13 Lux Etoiles................................................H2 29 Ms Ruby Sorupan....................................E2
14 Morgan's Residence...............................G2
15 Pillaiyar Inn..............................................B 2 ï Transport
16 Sarras Guest House................................F 4 30 CTB Bus Stand........................................B3
17 Subhas.....................................................D3 31 Minibus Stand..........................................B3
18 Theresa Inn..............................................G 4 32 Private Bus Stand....................................B3
(^33) Private Overnight Buses to
ú Eating Colombo................................................B3
19 Cosy Restaurant.....................................D3 34 VT Express...............................................B3
20 Food City..................................................C 4