Colonial architecture in Sri Lanka

Old City Hall

Dating to 1865, this municipal building from the British era is mostly empty today, save for some old trucks and municipal equipment on display in the ground-floor galleries. But let the attendants lead you up the vintage mahogany stairs (tip them Rs 100) and you’ll discover something of a waxworks in the old council chambers. There, covered in dust, are replicas of the town’s first councillors in 1906.

It’s slightly comic and ghoulish, especially given the green glow from the stained glass. Views from the windows put you above the hubbub outside.


Dutch Period Museum

This unique museum was originally the 17th-century residence of the Dutch governor and has since been used as a Catholic seminary, a military hospital, a police station and a post office. The mansion contains a lovely garden courtyard and has a nice faded feel since a 1977 restoration. Exhibits include Dutch colonial furniture and other artefacts.

It's here in 1638 that King Rajasinghe II of the Kingdom of Kandy signed the treaty that opened up Ceylon to the Dutch.



Wolvendaal Church

The 1749 Wolvendaal Church is the most important Dutch building in Sri Lanka. When the church was built, this area was a wilderness beyond the city walls. The Europeans mistook the packs of roaming jackals for wolves, and the area became known as Wolf’s Dale, or Wolvendaal in Dutch. The church is in the form of a Greek cross, with walls 1.5m thick, but the real treasure is its Dutch furniture.

The Dutch governors had a special pew made with elegant carved ebony chairs, and the workmanship in the wooden pulpit, baptismal font and lectern is just as beautiful. The stone floor includes the elaborate tombstones to long-forgotten Dutch governors and colonists.

Galle’s 17th century Dutch Fort

Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, originally built by the Portuguese and then further developed by the Dutch and the British, covers nearly four sq kms, and is protected by 12 bastions and connecting ramparts.

During the early 18th century the Old Dutch Gate was the entrance point to the Fort. Subsequently the British built the Main Gate which is still used today. Buildings of interest include the Dutch Reformed Church, All Saints Church, Amangalla Hotel (formerly the New Oriental Hotel), the lighthouse and bell tower.

The Dutch also developed what was then an innovative tide-based sewage-system within the Fort. A maze of narrow roads lined with small houses and shops with Dutch names still remain. Recently, a spate of old colonial houses within the Fort have been intelligently renovated and made into exquisite boutique villas and hotels retaining the colonial architectural features including arches and columned courtyards, verandas, and high ceilings.

Old British Parliament

The Old British Parliament is a Neo-Baroque style building that used to house the Legislative Council of Ceylon. Originally, the top of the building face was adorned with the British Coat of Arms. It was eventually replaced by that Arms of the Dominion of Ceylon which in turn was eventually replaced by the Arms of the Republic of Sri Lanka.
The cost of construction was placed at Rs 450,000. It was opened by Governor Sir Herbert Stanley in 1930. Today, it is home to the Presidential Secretariat. This is also the place where the President accepts the Letter of Credence of incoming ambassadors as well as high commissioners.

National Museum of Colombo

The National Museum of Colombo is the largest museum in Sri Lanka. It is one of only two museums in the country and holds the most important collections significant to the country. It was originally called the Colombo Museum and was founded in 1877  by the British Governor of Ceylon during that time, Sir William Henry Gregory.
The museum holds at least five private collections. The artifacts have been carefully arranged in nine galleries. Each gallery represents special periods related to the evolution and history of the country.


St. Andrew’s Church

Known as St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk or St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, this structure was originally the center for Scots element in Colombo.

It was founded in the 19th century and went on to prosper during the colonial and post-colonial periods. It eventually became a
Christian place of worship when the original congregation dwindled in number. The label Presbyterian stuck through.

The church is located in the very heart of the country’s commercial district. In spite of its high-traffic location, it continues to be an oasis for worshipers seeking peace. It is interesting to note that the structure used to be a a Governor’s Banquet Hall.