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Beira Lake
Beira Lake (/ˈbeɪrə/; Sinhala: බේරේ වැව, romanized: Bērē væva (IPA: [beːreː ˈʋæʋə]); Tamil: பேரே ஏரி, romanized: Pērē ēri (IPA: [peːɾeː eːɾi])) is a man-made lake in the centre of the city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The lake is surrounded by many large businesses in the city. It initially occupied approximately 1.65 km2 (0.64 sq mi) of land 100 years ago but has since been reduced to 0.65 km2 (0.25 sq mi) today due to various reasons. During the Portuguese, Dutch and English colonial era, the lake was used for a wide variety of purposes. It still retains its Portuguese name. It is connected to many intricate canals which provided an easy way of transporting goods within the city and suburban cities.
The derivation of the name is uncertain, yet it was as recent as 1927 that 'Beira Lake' first appeared on maps. Before that, it was called the 'Colombo Lake' or just 'The Lake'. One theory is that it got its name from a Portuguese engineer named 'Beira' who worked in constructing the lake or from a Dutch engineer named 'De Beer'. The idea of De Beer is supported by a granite plaque which was recovered from the sluice of the lake, inscribed "De Beer 1700".
Another theory is that it was named from the word 'Beira', which in Portuguese meant the 'Bank or Edge of the Lake. Another idea is that it got its name from 'De Beer, which in Portuguese meant the 'Anchoring Point. It may also have also been named after the Portuguese province of the same name.
The lake was built by the Portuguese to provide protection to Colombo from enemies, mainly local kings.
By 1518, the Portuguese ruled over Colombo, but the increasing threats against Portuguese rule by King Vijayabahu VII and Sinhalese forces made them look for better solutions other than their modern weaponry. One of such early ideas was making a huge moat around the fort.
The construction of the moat began by digging the marshy land which was around the fort in all directions other than west (west of the fort was the Indian Ocean). But these works were demotivated by the size of it and the small amount of water in the marsh which was not enough to fill a lake. But a stream which flowed between Mount of Dematagoda and Mount of St. Bastian was discovered by Portuguese Captain Lopo de Brito, while he was chasing away another invasion led by King Vijayabahu VII. After informing the officials at the fort about this stream, it was connected to the moat they had dug, creating Beira Lake.
Then the lake was completely connected with the sea from both sides, separating the Colombo Fort from the mainland. All means of transportation between the mainland and the fort was done using boats. The original area of the lake was 1.61 km2 (0.62 sq mi). Primary outflows then were the Kayman's Gate to the east and St. John's Canal to the west. It was bordered from Mount of St. Bastian, Mount of Wolvendaal and from Mount of Kochchikade. To the north and west of the lake were the Portuguese forts. The nature of the lake then has been described in Conquista Temporale Espiritual de Ceylão (1687) by Fr. Fernão de Queyroz:
"The lake around the City of Colombo is having a complete length of 10 1⁄2 miles. It which had the Mount of Lawrence was surrounded by a lagoon. In some places at summer time it was deep only to the waist, and was a lake which gave access to City of Colombo"
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Beira Lake AI simulator
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Beira Lake
Beira Lake (/ˈbeɪrə/; Sinhala: බේරේ වැව, romanized: Bērē væva (IPA: [beːreː ˈʋæʋə]); Tamil: பேரே ஏரி, romanized: Pērē ēri (IPA: [peːɾeː eːɾi])) is a man-made lake in the centre of the city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The lake is surrounded by many large businesses in the city. It initially occupied approximately 1.65 km2 (0.64 sq mi) of land 100 years ago but has since been reduced to 0.65 km2 (0.25 sq mi) today due to various reasons. During the Portuguese, Dutch and English colonial era, the lake was used for a wide variety of purposes. It still retains its Portuguese name. It is connected to many intricate canals which provided an easy way of transporting goods within the city and suburban cities.
The derivation of the name is uncertain, yet it was as recent as 1927 that 'Beira Lake' first appeared on maps. Before that, it was called the 'Colombo Lake' or just 'The Lake'. One theory is that it got its name from a Portuguese engineer named 'Beira' who worked in constructing the lake or from a Dutch engineer named 'De Beer'. The idea of De Beer is supported by a granite plaque which was recovered from the sluice of the lake, inscribed "De Beer 1700".
Another theory is that it was named from the word 'Beira', which in Portuguese meant the 'Bank or Edge of the Lake. Another idea is that it got its name from 'De Beer, which in Portuguese meant the 'Anchoring Point. It may also have also been named after the Portuguese province of the same name.
The lake was built by the Portuguese to provide protection to Colombo from enemies, mainly local kings.
By 1518, the Portuguese ruled over Colombo, but the increasing threats against Portuguese rule by King Vijayabahu VII and Sinhalese forces made them look for better solutions other than their modern weaponry. One of such early ideas was making a huge moat around the fort.
The construction of the moat began by digging the marshy land which was around the fort in all directions other than west (west of the fort was the Indian Ocean). But these works were demotivated by the size of it and the small amount of water in the marsh which was not enough to fill a lake. But a stream which flowed between Mount of Dematagoda and Mount of St. Bastian was discovered by Portuguese Captain Lopo de Brito, while he was chasing away another invasion led by King Vijayabahu VII. After informing the officials at the fort about this stream, it was connected to the moat they had dug, creating Beira Lake.
Then the lake was completely connected with the sea from both sides, separating the Colombo Fort from the mainland. All means of transportation between the mainland and the fort was done using boats. The original area of the lake was 1.61 km2 (0.62 sq mi). Primary outflows then were the Kayman's Gate to the east and St. John's Canal to the west. It was bordered from Mount of St. Bastian, Mount of Wolvendaal and from Mount of Kochchikade. To the north and west of the lake were the Portuguese forts. The nature of the lake then has been described in Conquista Temporale Espiritual de Ceylão (1687) by Fr. Fernão de Queyroz:
"The lake around the City of Colombo is having a complete length of 10 1⁄2 miles. It which had the Mount of Lawrence was surrounded by a lagoon. In some places at summer time it was deep only to the waist, and was a lake which gave access to City of Colombo"
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