Kayts Island fort

The Kayts Island Fort (ஊர்காவற்றுறைக் கோட்டை) was built by the Portuguese in 1629 and was abandoned in 1651. In the late 1600’s, Dutch was controlled the fort when they taken over the Kayts island. During the Dutch rule, it was not undergo for restoration like renovation of former forts of Portuguese.

Horseshoe shape fort with four circular bastions was built to protect Jaffna Peninsula like other Portuguese forts in the peninsula. There was one of the primary commercial ports called “Urundai” beside of the fort. Therefore, the fort was known as “Urundai Fort”. The Tamil word “Urundai” literally means round or round-shape.