Galle has been declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO.

Although first colonised by the Portuguese, both Dutch and British influences can be seen in Galle's colonial buildings.  The walled city, within which the narrow streets are lined with lace makers, jewellers and other craftspeople, is dominated by a large fort.  This is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south or south-east Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions, and is still the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European invaders.

It was the main port on the island in the 16th century, and reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British, who developed the harbor at Colombo.

Galle is the main town in the most southerly part of Sri Lanka, with a population of around 100,000, and is connected by rail to Colombo and Matara. It is home to a cricket ground, the Galle International Stadium, where test matches are played.

Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests.

On 26 December 2004, the city was devastated by the massive Tsunami caused by the Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast of Indonesia.  Thousands were killed in the city alone.