The region's largest city stands on an isthmus with
two deep bays to seaward and a fine natural Inner
Harbour to the west. It naturally attracted the attention
of European colonial powers as early as the first
quarter of the 17th century, changing hands
repeatedly among the Portuguese, the Dutch,
the French and the British in a series
of side-shows to the European wars of the 17th and
18th centuries, before finally falling to a British
fleet in 1795. It remained one of the British Empire's
most important ports in Asia, and from 1941-45
was the headquarters of the Allied Southeast Asia
commander, Lord Louis Mountbatten. Other
distinguished British military men to have sojourned
here include Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the
Duke of Wellington), who recuperated here in 1799
from fever caught while campaigning against the French
and their allies in southern India. In the middle
of the Inner Harbour, connected to the isthmus by
a narrow causeway, is Powder Island, once a gunpowder
magazine for the Royal Navy, but now occupied
by the Sri Lankan defence force.
Fort Frederick
The northeast-pointing promontory which separates
Dutch Bay from Back Bay was fortified first by the
Portuguese, then by their successors and finally
by the British, who named it Fort Frederick.
At the tip of the promontory is Swami Rock,
where a Hindu temple stood until being demolished
by the Portuguese.
Trincomalee beaches
Uppuveli is the most conveniently located beach
for those staying in Trincomalee, only 6km (4 miles)
north of the city centre and accessible by taxi or
three-wheeler. Nilaveli is a 4km (2.5-mile)
stretch of beach which starts about 16km (10 miles)
north of Trincomalee.
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