The Rampart road a little further down Kotte Road, thankfully leads you to some remains of the great rampart, and the southern moat known as the ‘Athul Diya Agala’. To visit the remains turn into Rampart Road, take a right turn from the T-junction and turn right again into – First Lane. This lane leads you to the south Ramparts and the inner moat. Alternately you can approach the place from Nippon Road, and park your vehicle near the Baddegana Wetland Center Car Park. The Inner Moat is opposite the car park, and is indicated by a board.
The south of the fortified city faced open land, and was the only area not protected by the rivulets or the swamp. This special moat was built to protect the city from the only side that was vulnerable from a land attack. The southern gate and draw bridge that was built over this inner moat, was the main entrance to the city of Kotte. The above pictures show a part of the southern ramparts and part of the adjoining eastern defenses.
To see the rest of the ramparts, go down Rampart road again and turn into Third Lane. At the end of the lane, you will find parts of the ramparts still in a good state, which were part of the city’s eastern defenses. Now the Sri Lanka Nippon road skirts the eastern defenses. A drive down this road will give a visitor a good view of the eastern flank and some of the remaining pieces of the ramparts.
Today, many people have built structures alongside as well as on top of the ramparts, ignoring building codes that bar any structure within 9 feet of it. Parts of the moat has been filled and built upon. Next to the brick wall seen at the end in the above picture is a multi story apartment complex. Beyond the apartment complex lies the now destroyed southern entrance gate to the Royal City.
In spite of all obstacles it faces, the Archaeology Department currently maintains the designated archaeologically significant areas in an exemplary manner.
Remains of the ramparts could also be seen within the Parakumba Pirivena, Angampitiya Road and along the Nippon Road, some inside private property. However the best preserved ones are found near Rampart Road and Sri Lanka Nippon road, where the eastern and southern defenses meet.
Additional Photographs:
(a) Part of the eastern defenses overgrown with weeds (2003).
(b) Part of the ‘Atul Diya Agala’ or the inner moat, overgrown with trees (2003).
(c) A well preserved piece of the ramparts (2003).
(d) Another picture of the inner moat, overgrown and a garbage dump (2003).
(e) A house built next to the ramparts (2003).
Location Map – (No 4):
