One of the few remaining such towers in the built by the British Empire around the world in late 18th century. Built according to the Mortello Tower in Corsia in defence of the coastal areas said to have repulsed an attack from the Kandyan Empire. About 25 feet in height and 40feet in diameter has two stories. Situate just a few metres south of the Hambanthota Rest House. There is a lighthouse, a bungalow and gallows close to the tower The Martello Tower in Hambantota, is a small circular shaped fort, inspired by the Martello tower (a 15th century fort at Mortella (Myrtle) Point in Corsica, which survived an attack by English naval forces in 1794). The tower was built between 1804 and 1806 to protect the harbour and settlement at Hambantota, following an unsuccessful attack by Kandyan insurgents in 1803. Construction of the tower is credited to a Captain Goper of the Engineers Corp (however no individual by that name appears in the British Army records). The commanding engineer in Ceylon at the time of the tower's construction was Captain Bridges, who was involved in the design of a similar Martello tower in Simon's Town near Cape Town, South Africa in 1796, which the tower in Hambantota closely resembles. In September 1803 HMS Wilhelmina stopped briefly at Hambantota, where she dropped off an eight-man detachment from the Royal Artillery, who reinforced the British garrison there and later helped it repel a Kandian attack.[1] The Martello tower is 7.6 m (25 ft), with a base diameter of 12 m (39 ft) and 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) thick walls. It has an unusual projecting rim around the parapet. Similar to English towers the entrance to the fort was through a doorway on the first floor but unlike others the Hambantota tower has a number of loopholes. The ground floor contained a storeroom and magazine. The armaments included two 6 pounder guns, three 3 pounders and a number of 2 and 1 pounder guns. In 1813 most of the small guns were replaced by a 5 1/2 inch howitzer and in 1814 two 18 pounder cannons were added. The tower was restored in 1999, and in the past, formed part of an office of the Hambantota Kachcheri, where the Land Registry branch was housed. Today it houses a fisheries museum. Coordinates 6°17′19″N 81°7′37″E Type Defence Martello tower Site information Controlled by Government of Sri Lanka Open to the public yes Condition good Site history Built 1804-1806 Built by British Materials limestone and coral Height 7.6 m (25 ft)