Fort Hammenhiel

Situated on an islet at the tip of Karainagar island guarding the channel between the islands of Karainagar and Kayts in Jaffna lies Fort Hammenhiel.

Initially constructed by the Portuguese to guard the entrance to the Jaffna peninsula, the fort was named as Fortaleza Real (Fort Royal). However, the fort was soon captured by the Dutch and renamed as Hammenhiel (heel of ham). The Portuguese were forced to surrender when the water tank in the fort which was their sole source of fresh water was destroyed in the battle.

A plaque mentioning the history of the fort

A painting at Fort Hammenhiel depicting the battle between the Portuguese and Dutch

During the 1971 insurrection, the fort was also used as a prison and housed several leaders of the insurrection including most famously Rohana Wijeweera.

The fort today is a luxury resort run by the Sri Lanka Navy. There is a restaurant with the same name also run by the same management at the tip of Karainagar which affords a magnificent view of Fort Hammenhiel. In fact it is from this point that the navy shuttles residents of Fort Hammenhiel from the mainland via motor boats.

During a visit to Jaffna last year, we were fortunate to be granted permission to visit the fort.

Fort Hammenhiel - seen from the Navy run restaurant at Karainagar island

The restaurant run by the navy and the jetty where the boats to Fort Hammenhiel depart

The ramparts of the fort

A lone fisherman

Entrance to the fort

Cells that housed many a famous prisoner