Galle Fort in Galle Bay on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka was built by the Portuguese in 1588 and extensively fortified from 1649 by the Dutch in the 17th century. It is a historical, archeological and architectural monument that retains a polished appearance after more than 432 years of extensive reconstruction work by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. The fort has a colorful history and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch who still own some of the land in the fort are trying to make it one of the modern wonders of the world. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by UNESCO and the site has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under Criteria IV. This is a unique representation of an "urban ensemble" that illustrates the interplay of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries." Galle Fort, also known as the Dutch Fort or the "Galle City Walls", survived the Boxing Day tsunami that damaged part of the coastal town of Galle. It has since been restored.