The Galle Municipal Council was established with effect from 1 st January, 1867, by a proclamation made by Governor Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson, published in the Ceylon Government Gazette No. 3571 dated 24 th November, 1866.
Initially, the Galle Municipality comprised 5 wards, namely, Fort, Kaluwella, Galupiyadda, Hirimbura and Kumbalwella. The first meeting of the Galle Municipal Council was held on 26 th April 1867 at the Galle Kachcheri building.
The late Dr. Wijayananda Dahanayake was the first elected Mayor of Galle. He became Mayor in 1939. He later became Prime Minister of Ceylon (1959-60).
Prior to that, meetings of the Council were chaired by a senior official of the Government (usually the Government Agent).
The Galle Municipality covers an area of about 16.8 square kilometers (6.5 square miles) with a population of just about 100,000.
