The Koneswaram Temple is one of Sri Lanka’s most revered Hindu temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The original temple was among the most celebrated in ancient Asia before being partially destroyed by Portuguese colonisers; today’s rebuilt shrine still commands one of the most breathtaking locations of any religious site on the island. The headland also encompasses Fort Frederick, built by the Portuguese and later occupied by the Dutch and British, creating a layering of cultural and historical narratives in a single spectacular promontory.