Other sights in Colombo
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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 of five Dutch governors.
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Fort
During the European era Fort was indeed a fort, surrounded by the sea on two sides and a moat on the landward sides. Today it’s a curious mix of brash modern structures, such as the World Trade Center, and venerable red-brick institutions from the Colonial-era, such as Cargills and Millers. The security presence is heavy here, curtailing vehicle access and some pedestrian access. A good landmark in Fort is the clock towerat the junction of Chatham St and Janadhipathi Mawatha (once Queen St), which was originally a lighthouse.
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Cinnamon Gardens
About 5km south of Fort and 2km inland, Cinnamon Gardens is Colombo’s ritziest address. A century ago it was covered in cinnamon plantations. Today it contains elegant tree-lined streets and the posh mansions of the wealthy and powerful, as well as the city’s biggest park, several sports grounds and a cluster of museums and galleries.
The centre piece of Cinnamon Gardens is the 50-acre University of Colombo (also called the University of Ceylon) campus, which originally opened as the Ceylon Medical School in 1870.
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Galle Face Green
Immediately south of Fort is Galle Face Green, a long stretch of lawn facing the sea. It was originally cleared by the Dutch to give the cannons of Fort a clear line of fire. Today its broad lawns are a popular rendezvous spot; on weekdays it’s dotted with joggers, kite flyers and walkers, and on weekends (especially Sunday evenings) food vendors gather to feed the hordes.
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Kathiresan Kovil
On Sea St, the goldsmiths’ street, Old Kathiresan Kovil and New Kathiresan Kovil, both dedicated to the war god Murugan (Skanda), are the starting point for the annual Hindu Vel festival held in July/August, when the huge vel (trident) chariot is dragged to various kovils on Galle Rd in Bambalapitiya.
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Sri Ponnambalam Vanesar Kovil
In Kotahena, northeast of Pettah, you’ll find this temple built of South Indian granite. During the harvest festival of Thai Pongal (held in January) devotees flock to Hindu temples, which become even more colourful and lively.
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Colombo Club
The 19th-century Colombo Club faces the Galle Face Green from the grounds of Taj Samudra hotel; the club’s rooms are still used for functions.
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Sri Muthumariamman Kovil
During the harvest festival of Thai Pongal (held in January) devotees flock to this Hindu temple, which become even more colourful and lively.
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Sambodhi Chaitiya
The large white dagoba(stupa) of Sambodhi Chaitiya, perched about 20m off the ground on stilts, is a landmark for sea travellers at the Fort.
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