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Kayman's Gate - කයිමන් දොරකඩ is located at the intersection of Main and 4th Cross Streets in Pettah, at the foot of the Wolvendaal Hill. The Colombo Fort was originally constructed by the Portuguese, as a fortification of their trading post at Colombo, with Kayman's Gate and Belfry being the eastern entrance to the fort. The gate was actually a draw bridge connecting the outskirts (the old city of Pettah) to the fort. St. John’s River was actually a canal that was connected to the sea to the north and the Beira Lake to the south. Main Street, known as King's Street (''Konings Straat'') in Dutch Colonial times, linked Pettah with the fort, and terminated at Kayman’s Gate. Kayman (''Kaaiman'') was the name given to the gate after the crocodiles, which at that period were found in large numbers in the Beira Lake, and congrugated at this spot along St. John’s River, to eat rubbish thrown out by the city dwellers, within the fort. During the British occupation St John's River was filled in and became St John Street. The Kayman's Gate bell purportedly dates back to the 16th Century, where it originally hung in a Portuguese Church, dedicated to Saint Francis, in the Royal City of Kotte. This city was abandoned in 1565. The city was re-occupied by the Dutch and the bell, found amidst the ruins of the church, was removed and was set up on a newly reconstructed belfry at Kayman’s Gate. The Belfry was used as a curfew bell ‘to mark the closing of the Castle’s gates and lights out’.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Historic Buildings of the Dutch Reformed Church - The Wolvendaal Church )〕 Following the demolition of the fort's walls (c. 1865) the bell was used to summon the worshippers to prayer and praise at the Wolvendaal Church, with the belfry becoming part of the churches’ property.〔 Kayman's Gate was also the place that the colonial rulers used to publicly execute people by hanging, a practice which continued up until the late 19th century.〔 The Sinhalese term for the gate, Kaiman Dorakada, is referenced in the song, ''Paru Palamen'', written by Sunil Edirisingha.〔 == References == 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kayman's Gate」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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