Colombo City
Beira Lake in Slave island
Beira Lake
Located in Slave Island, Colombo-2,
Constructed by digging a canal from a tributary of the River Kelani The extent is approximately 165 hectares of land 100 years ago and has been reduced to 65 now The lake was originally built before the colonization of the country and connected to a network of canals provided easy way of transporting goods within the city and suburban cities The Portuguese used this as a protective moat, when king Rajasinghe I attacked Colombo Fort The Portuguese, the Dutch and the English used to transport goods to the harbor The lake has two distinct bodies of water, The smaller lake is bordering Navam Mawatha and the larger lake bordering D.R. Wijewardena Mw. The two bodies are connected by a narrow canal which runs through Slave Island and Army Headquarters The lake spills to the Indian Ocean at Galle Face This lake with its distinct center island and Seemalakaya is a popular recreational area in the city.
Sima Malaka
The Chapter house of Gangarama Temple (Uposathagara to preach Prathimokshaya) A place where disciplinary actions implemented against the Buddhist monks who misbehaved (Vinaya) Also a place where higher ordination which takes place for novice monks In a Simamalaka, if the place is not encircled by waters then the ‘demarcation pillars’ should be fixed to mark the sacred area This Sima malaka is under the guidance of the Asgiriya chapter in Siyam sect in Kandy
Slave Island – The contemptible business in the world is the selling of the humans as slaves The name Slave Island was given during the period of British and refers to the situation under Portuguese and Dutch administration when slaves were held there They were brought here from Mozambique & Madagascar and were treated as animals The Portuguese started this business for the first time in Asia in Goa They were not paid but given only the food to survive According to the records of the Dutch Governor Goens, there were 4000 slaves in Colombo in his period Due to the rigorous work these kaffirs broke-out in a rebellion They killed the Dutch fiscal ‘Stone Pat’ and his wife by stabbing So they were stalled to an island in Beira Lake Present world trade center premises is the place known as Kaffir Weldt in those days In 1845 slavery was banned by the British Some African descendants are scattered throughout Sri Lanka and are known as Sri Lankan Kaffirs
Galle Face Green
– The extent is 16 acres and named as ‘Mapane’ by the Portuguese in 16th century During the Dutch period this was the site for public execution in the presence of the relatives In 1803 three hundred bodies were buried here who died from Malaria Therefore this was not a pleasant place at least for 200 years Governor Edward Barns was the person who converted the Galle face green to an elegant place in 1829 In 1859 Lady Henry Ward declared this green as a place for leisure for ladies and children The front elevation of the fortress of Colombo was facing the Galle direction and named it as Galle Face In his period this was the Colpetty Race Course for horse races, and the length was 1.5 miles Later this esplanade was used for sports such as Cricket, Polo, and Golf (Explain the activities of the present time)
Galle Face Hotel
The Galle Face Hotel, founded in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1864, is the oldest hotel east of Suez The colonial period building gives the magnificent look The hotel is a member of Select Hotels and Resorts International It is listed as one of the “1000 Places to See Before You Die” in the book bearing the same name It received the “Best Heritage Hotel” title three years running at the Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism of Sri Lanka, held in June 2010, June 2011and September 2012 In addition it won the first-ever PATA award for Best International Heritage Hotel, in 2012 In September 2012, it became the first hotel in Sri Lanka to be featured on a postage stamp
The Galle Face Hotel has four restaurants
They are the Sea Spray seafood restaurant, which has a daily dinner buffet, The 1864 Fine Dining Restaurant and wine cellar, an English pub called in.. On the Green, A buffet restaurant known as the Verandah The open Verandah is the venue for the Daily High Tea on the terrace Galle face Hotel – (The Stamp)
Temple Trees
The history of Temple Trees dates back to early 19th century
The house was subsequently acquired by George Winter, a wealthy merchant and the first editor of the Colombo Observer Later, Philip Green bought it and named it “Temple Trees” in 1856 for the Temple flower (Plumeria aeuminata) trees that grew around the bungalow Before it was known as ‘Brandery’ , a Dutch word The house was purchased by the British Government of Ceylon Used as the residence of the Colonial Secretary Since 1948 it became the residence of the Prime Minister of Ceylon After Executive President’s Post was implemented this became the official residence of the President
Presidential Secretariat (Old Parliament building)
The Old Parliament building located closer to the Galle Face Green, now the Presidential Secretariat
It is the office of the President of Sri Lanka It provides the administrative framework for the duties, responsibilities and powers vested in the President by the Constitution from 1978 The head of the Presidential Secretariat is the Secretary to the President Mr. Austin Fernando, SLAS. The post as its roots from the post of Secretary to the Governor-General of Ceylon The building was built by British during their ruling period This is a replica of the abode of Goddess Athena located in the mountain range on Athens in Greece. The Baroque Revival, also known as NeoBaroque, an architectural style of the late 19th century. The building was opened on 29 January 1930 by Governor Sir Herbert Stanley, as a year later it was taken over by the State Council of Ceylon
- President’s Office will be concerned with the following aspects of governance:-
- Co-ordinating and reviewing the implementation of Government policy in all sectors;
- Monitoring progress in the implementation of specific projects and programs;
- Addressing supposed public aspirations and grievances, and
- Maintaining a watching brief over the nation’s external relations.
The last jail of the last king (Rajasinghe Guard)
Being a small structure, this is said to be the detention chamber of the last king Sri Vickrema Rajasinghe (1798-1815)
he was taken to India by the British The cell is located in the shadow of the Ceylinco Building Three sides of the cell are square in shape while the fourth is oval Only one entrance exists at present This whole area was shattered in the 1996 Central Bank bombing by the LTTE terrorists So we presume that this is the original structure because the cell is a tiny building which looks like a security post Inside, there are portraits of King Sri Vickrema
Rajasinghe, his consort Queen Venkata Rengammal, the Adhikaram Pilimatalawe who betrayed them, & the British Governor General Robert Brownrigg
There are also images of the ship that took him away and his final resting place in South India
Colombo Lighthouse & Galle Buck
the Light house in Colombo is operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority It is located at Galbokka Point south of the Port of Colombo on the waterfront along the Marine Drive, in the Colombo Fort. The lighthouse was built in 1952 after the Old Colombo Lighthouse was deactivated due to expansion project. It was opened by Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake the first Prime Minister of Ceylon Built on a concrete base with 12 meters high & it has four statues of lions at its base Due to the panoramic view of the Indian Ocean it offered, this became on city landmark With the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War public access to the site was restricted This was due to its placement in a high security zone as it across the street from the Navel Headquarters and close proximity of the Port of Colombo World Trade Center This is the third highest world trade center in South Asia, 153 m in height Started construction in 1990 and opened in 1997 The center consists of two identical 40-storeyed east and west towers
Managed by Overseas reality Ceylon PLC., (better known as ORCPLC) ORCPLC is a part of Mireka Capital Land (pvt) Ltd which owns the Havelock City Project, one of the largest residential projects in Asia In the later years of the Sri-Lankan civil war, the LTTE attempted a 9-11 similar attack to crash into the towers in a plane However, the attack failed as the plane was shot down
The Dutch Hospital building in Colombo
The Old Colombo Dutch Hospital (known as The Dutch Hospital ) is considered tobe the oldest building in the Colombo Fort area dating back to the Dutch colonial era 1640-1796 in Sri Lanka. It is now a heritage building and a shopping and dining precinct The building was the Colombo Fort Police Station from the early 1980s to 1990s, prior to which it housed the Colombo Apothecaries.
It suffered heavy damage in the LTTE attack that followed the Central Bank bombing in 1996.
In 2011, it has been transformed into a shopping and dining precinct, where the historic architecture has been preserved.
The Dutch Hospital
The Dutch captured Colombo on 7th May 1656 and started to build this hospital Good example for the Dutch Colonial architecture with five wings forming two courtyards It is designed to keep out the heat and humidity and provide a comfortable environment within Like many Colombo Dutch buildings of the era, the walls are 50 cm thick The structure features massive teak beams The upper floor is located in the front wing and can be reached using a wooden staircase This upper storey has a wooden floor A long open veranda runs along the length of each wing of the building The Dutch established the Colombo hospital to look after the health of the officers and other staff serving under the Dutch East India company, and to serve the wounded soldiers also The hospital’s proximity to the Colombo harbour allowed it to serve Dutch seafarers The most famous of all the surgeons who worked in the Colombo hospital was Paul Hermann He served from 1672-79 Hermann has been described as the father of Botany in Sri Lanka
In 1875 the maximum number of patients came up to 185, and in1886 increased up to 300 In this hospital they also practised native Ayurveda system For this purpose indigenous doctors had been recruited In 2011, it has been transformed into a shopping and dining complex, while preserving the Dutch architecture
Chatham Street Victorian Clock Tower
Two years older than the Big Ben in Westminster Height is 96 feet and in the olden days this was the Colombo light house The light was operated from gas a line and the light focused to a distance of 16 miles with an intensity of 1500 candle power Because of poor planning controls it became surrounded by new tall buildings Therefore it eventually could not function effectively as a light-house The modern Galle Buck Lighthouse was erected on Marine Drive as its replacement On the top of the semi-globe roof is a metal arrow on a pole, to show wind-direction The idea of building a lighthouse for Colombo Harbour was to help shipping navigation into the harbour and avoid the lethargic rocks, and this was proposed in 1815 The lighthouse was built in 1856 Lady Ward, the wife of the Governor of Ceylon, created the elegant design
Queen’s House which became President’s House when Sri Lanka was declared a Republic
President’s House is the official residence of the President of Sri Lanka Located in Colombo fort, (Colombo 1) It used to be the Queen’s House until Sri Lanka became a Republic in 1972 British gained control of Sri Lanka from the Dutch, in 1802 (Coastal belt only) The last Dutch Governor of Ceylon, Johan Gerard van Angelbeek’s house was taken over by the British They converted this as the official residence of the Governor of Ceylon known as Government House But most commonly referred to as the King’s House or the Queen’s House depending on the ruler of that time Since independence in 1948 the house became the official residence of the Governor General of Ceylon It was formally renamed as the President’s House in 1972 after Sri Lanka became a republic William Gopallawa was the last Governor General and first President of Sri Lanka, resided at the house In 1979 the Sri Lanka corps of military Police formed the President’s Ceremonial Guard Company at the President’s House to perform ceremonial guard duties, such as Guard Mounting
Queen’s House or President’s House
Grand Oriental Hotel in Colombo The building was once the mansion of a Dutch Governor and then a military barrack A new hotel came into being in 1870 under the patronage of British Governor Robert Wilmot Horton, and In 1875 the hotel was christened as Grand Oriental Hotel Even today this is a luxury hotel with 154 rooms The redesigning was undertaken by the famous architect Geoffery Bawa in 1966
Colombo Port
Known as Port of Kolomtota in the early 14th Century, Kotte kingdom This is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka as well as in South Asia Located in Colombo, on the southwestern shores on the Kelani River
It serves as an important terminal in Asia due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean Port faced to a modernization in 1980s, with the installation of Cranes, Gantries and other modern-day terminal requirements Currently with a capacity of 4.1 million TEUs and a dredged depth of over 15 m (49 ft)
The twenty-foot equivalent unit (often TEU or teu) is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals The Colombo Harbour is one of the busiest ports in the world, and ranks among the top 35 It is also one of the biggest artificial harbours in the world handling most of the country’s foreign trade, which has an annual cargo tonnage of 30.9 million tons The port is also the naval base for Sri Lanka navy Western Fleet under the Commander Western Naval Area (COMWEST)
Grand Oriental Hotel
Dutch museum
Located in Prince Street, Colombo 11, amidst the bazar
-In 1692 this was the official residence for the Dutch governor Thomas Van Rhee
-Later converted to a Seminary, organized by VOC, with an orphanage and a religious center
-Under the British Government this was a Police Training center, armoury and army hospital
-In 1930, Pettah Post Office was established here
-Finally the Dutch Museum was opened to the public in this place in the year 1982
-Colombo Dutch Museum covers the history of the Dutch colonial rule in Sri Lanka
-This building embodies the unique architectural features of a colonial Dutch urban house
-The museum displays the Dutch legacy with the artifacts viz. furniture, ceramics, coins, arms etc.
-It contains more than 3000 museum objects related to the Dutch
-They ruled the coastal areas of Sri Lanka from 1658-1796
-The building was preserved by a prevention committee with the assistance of Netherlands Govt. in 1977
Wolvendaal Church (Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka)
-Construction work of the church began in 1749 & it took 8 years to complete
-Julius Valentijn Stein Van Gollenesse (1743-51) was the governor who pioneered it
-His initials J.V.S.V.G. are inscribed to commemorate his contribution to the building
-Established in 1757 as a Protestant Church or as they described ‘True Christian Reformed Church’
-The Wolvendaal Church is the oldest Protestant Church in use in Sri Lanka
-It celebrated its 260th anniversary in this year (2017)
-The name of the Church derived from the place name Wolvendaal
-When the Dutch came to power in Colombo and suburbs this area was known as Wolvendaal
-The meaning is ‘Valley of wolves’ because the area was frequented by jackals and misapprehended as wolves
-Christianity was introduced into The Netherlands between 700 and 750 AD.
-The Wolvendaal Church is a living edifice of the Dutch colonial architecture
-Also a monument of the Dutch Christian zeal
-It has been constructed with local material utilizing predominantly local labourCertainly with technical skills of the Dutch construction engineers at the time
-It is therefore, a national monument of dual parentage and outstanding example ofcombination of two cultures and traditions, the Dutch and the Sri Lankan
-The ground plan of the church is in the shape of a cross
-The church is thus called Kruiskerk in Dutch
-The roof in the center of the building resembles a dome supported by concrete walls of coral and lime plaster The site that was selected, was on a hill which commanded views across the town and over the harbor and was in proximity to the entrance of the town. The church was constructed in the Doric style with walls nearly 1.5m (five feet) thick, constructed of unusually large kabok (laterite) with coral and lime plaster. The church is capable of seating 1,000 devotees. Inside the church there is a solidly constructed State Pew (a seat to accommodate the Dutch governor) with numerous ebony and calamander church chairs (kerkstoels), dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
The baptismal font, on an ornately carved tripod stand, dates back to 1667 AD.
Many famous names of 300 year Sri Lankan history: Dutch, Burgher, Singhalese, Tamil and English can be found amongst the gravestones within and outside the church.
There are five Dutch Governors buried at the church, including the last Governor, Johan Gerard Van Angelbeek, who died in Colombo in 1799.
In January 2005 the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) established the
Wolvendaal Foundation.
Its ultimate aim is to further cordial relations between the various races and religions on the island. That God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ, that the church is called to be the salt of the earth (a very good, honest, kind person or place) and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.
(2 Cor. 5:17-21; Matt. 5:13-16; Matt. 5:9; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21-22).
That God’s life-giving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of non-reconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world
(Eph. 4:17–6:23, Rom. 6; Col. 1:9-14; Col. 2:13-19; Col. 3:1–4:6);
Wolvendaal Church
The Floating Market
The floating market is a series of pavilions constructed on the far end of the restored Beira lake between the Pettah bus station and the railway station It’s supposed to include about 92 stalls in total This included electronics, clothes, shoes, jewellery, short-eats, kottu, vegetables and fruits. It’s kind of the stuff you’d find at Majestic City, except you’re shopping next to this glorious lake. On the west end is the entrance, the Testa Bake House (1), a cool arched iron bridge (2), and as you head east – electronics (3), clothes, shoes, short-eats (4), Pettah stuff and fruit stalls (5), and finally a food court (6) surrounded by a red-tent hangout space. Boat rides available on weekends (7).In addition to the private shopping stalls it will also house a number of selected state institutions that will offer local produce, gems and jewellery etc. The first of its kind market in the country, the Floating Market will offer people a unique shopping and dining experience in a beautiful setting The space is a lot of clean wooden boards, grey floors and red terracotta tiles. There’s no entrance fee, and you can enter the market at either the west or east end, though the official entrance is on the west side where you get a wood-carved flanking marked ‘The Floating Market’ and a pier where you cross over from the road to the market.
The Floating Market
National Hospital
-Located in the middle of Colombo City
-The National Hospital is situated in Colomboin a 32 acre block of land
-It is the largest teaching hospital in Sri Lanka and the final referral centre in the country
-The hospital consists of 3000 beds for indoor patients
-This is the training centre for under graduates and post graduate trainees of the Faculty of Medicine
-The nurse’s training school, Schools of Radiography, Pharmacy, Cardiograph,
physiotherapy and occupational therapy are also affiliated to theNational Hospital
-There are 75 wards, 35 operation theaters for surgeries and 12 incentive care units within the hospital
3000 patients have been treated per day by 90 consultants, 1800 doctors and 500 interns
-The hospital service and medicines are free of charge
Dawatagaha mosque
-The 190-year-old shrine the resting-place of the Muslim saint, His Holiness Seyedina asSheikh Usman Siddique Ibn Ahdurrahman
-The legend says that in 1820 a Sinhalese woman, oil monger faced a miraculous incident here
-She was helped by an unknown person for her living in this spot when she faced a mishap
-She hurried to the house of Mamma Lebbe in Maradana and related her story of the miracle
to Mamma Lebbe’s mother
-A party comprising Mamma Lebbe, Periya Pitche, Meera Kani and the oil monger left for the
spot to investigate and found evidence of the miracle
-They recited Yaseen and Fathiha and prayed: “Oh Vohiyullah (saint)! Praise is to Allah for
having given us the opportunity to bear witness to your miracle. Almighty Allah, may
you reveal to us the identity of this Voliyullah.”
-They made a shrine there and the Muslims of the area appointed Maniina Lebbe as their
leader, and Trustee of the shrine (The identity of the saint was unknown at the time)
-In 1847, twenty-seven years after the miracle, there came from Maghrib to this Island a
divine, Sheikh Ali Jahbarooth Moulana
-He identified the saint, who helped the oil woman as Seyed Usman Siddiq Ibn Abdurahman,
one who came to this Island on a pilgrimage to Adam’s Peak
and after living in the vicinity for some time, and died here
-Then Jahbarooth Moulana told those assembled, “We shall recite Kaththam Fathiha for the
ten days of this month of Zulqadha every year in the saint’s memory and distribute “niyath.”
-This practice is still functioning
Dawatagaha mosque
Colombo Municipal Council The Colombo Municipal Council is the local council for the administration of
the Colombo city The council was formed in 1865 1st met in 1866 The municipal council is the oldest and the largest local government authority in Sri Lanka As at 2001, covers a resident population of over 600,000 It has 53 elected representatives and over 12,000 employees Mayor of Colombo and the council members are elected through local govt., elections held once in four yearsHead of administration is the Municipal Commissioner, who handles day to day operations of the 16 departments that it is made up of
The building of the council is a model of the Capitol building in Washington DC in USA Victoria Park in Colombo Today the Victoria Park is known as the Viharamahadevi Park It is a public park located in Colombo next to the National Museum in Sri Lanka Front view is the colonial-style ‘Town Hall’ building,
The park is named after Queen Viharamahadevi, the mother of King Dutugamunu.
The park was built during the British rule, and was originally named “Victoria Park”
after Queen Victoria The park features include a huge Buddha statue and a series of water fountains
It also includes a mini zoo and a pleasure garden for children The Park is the only large-scale public park in Colombo It is maintained by the Colombo Municipal Council Established in 1866 in an area of 100 acres, but today reduced to 40 acres Those days this was known as Circular Garden In 1887 renamed as Victoria Park to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria Again changed the name in 1956 as Viharamahadevi Park The famous open air theater was commenced in 1939, is a venue for concerts and
public events
Colombo Racecourse
Colombo Racecourse was a harness racing course in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo
The Colombo Turf Club was based here with its own pavilion and club house next to the
grand stand. The Colombo Racecourse: A New Beginning Without Horses!
120-year-old Colombo Racecourse, & it was decided to make it the centre of another
sport complex while preserving the British classic-style architecture of the
grandstand,
During the second world war, it was used as a temporary airfield
In 2012 it was redeveloped as the Colombo Racecourse Sports Complex to become the
first International Rugby Union ground in Sri Lanka to host all the national
rugby union sides home macthes.
In 2014 the ground went through a major renovation, which included installation of
floodlights and the conversion of a substantial part of the grandstand into a
shopping and dining complex.
This pristine white building is an excellent example of British classic-style colonial
architecture.
It has fine ornamental detail adorning the façade, exquisite windows, and large circular
skylights.
Along the side facing the street there is a corridor obscured by an impressive colonnade
with triple columns, of which the large racing rooms were located.
Now they have been renovated into shops
Colombo Racecourse
Colombo Racecourse
Nelum Pokuna Theater
Earlier the premises was the Nomad Ground and the theatre opened on 15 December 2011 Building covers 14,000 square metres of floor area and the height is 29m This is a gift from the Chinese Government The construction work was done by Yang Jiyang Institute in China Total cost is little more than Rupees 3 billion, Government of the People’s Republic of China provided LKR 2430 million out of the total cost of the building Often known simply as Nelum Pokuna Theatre; previously the National Performing Arts Theatre, prior to naming at the opening ceremony Then renamed as Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, in honour of the president of Sri Lanka The architecture of the building is inspired by the 12th-century Nelum Pokuna (Lotus Pond) in Polonnaruwa built by King Parakramabahu the Great Polonnaruwa, Nelum Pokuna is shaped as a stylized eight-petalled lotus flower The theatre is equipped with ultra-modern facilities such as an auditorium with 1,288 seats a library, and training facilities with sophisticated sound systems The building features two permanent theatres
—the main auditorium and an open-air theatre—
and the ability to convert the front steps into an additional open-air theatre The 690-square-metre moving stage in the auditorium includes the ability to raise and lower the orchestra pit to and from stage level 500 bulbs to illuminate the main stage 18 microphones within the range of amp 50-200 with modern sound technology Three events or dramas could be performed simultaneously There are facilities to conduct educational and research activities This is one of the best Art Galleries out of 70 Art Galleries in the world Three vehicle parks for 600 vehicles, is also available Nelum Pokuna Theater
Nelum Pokuna at Polonnaruwa
Independent Square and the building Independence Commemoration Hall is a national monument Built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British in February 4, 1948 It is located at the Independence Square (formally TorringtonSquare) in the Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo The building was built at the location where the formal ceremony held of independent rule The first parliament was opened by the HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester This occurred at a special podium in this place on February 4,1948Located at the head of the monument is the statue of the first prime minister of the country Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake “The Father of the Nation” Most of the annual National Independence Day celebrations have been held here Currently it is the venue for religious events and annual national day celebrations Built and based on the Magul Maduwa (Celebration Hall), the Royal audience hall of the Kingdom of Kandy On March 2, 1815 the Kandyan Convention was signed between the British and the Kandyian Chieftains ending the Kingdom of Kandy in the Magul Maduwa Independent memorial building is a model of that historical building The building is decorated with most of the artistic patterns and objects of the ancient Sri Lanka
ARCADE INDEPENDENCE SQUARE
Refurbished building complex with arches and shops on both sides Govt. says the capital city of Colombo develops to become the wonder city of Asia. Arcade – Independence Square, an iconic landmark is added to Sri Lanka’s spectacular landscape. Kolomthota or Colombo is our main commercial city. From ancient times, and the Portuguese, Dutch and British eras in Sri Lanka, all Social, Economic and Political activities of Sri Lankans have been centered on the Colombo Port. The Urban Development Authority has transformed Colombo into the fastest growing city of Asia. The old Auditor General’s building was constructed during British rule. This building was in a dilapidated state without proper maintenance over along period of time. With its financial contribution and architectural advice, the Urban Development Authority has been able to make a distinctive reconstruction with the assistance of Sri Lanka Navy .Shining a new light on the Independence Square, This shopping complex is presented to the people, a boost to the progress of the Tourism Industry and one of the landmark projects of the Colombo City Development.
Independence Arcade
BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall)
Out right gift from Chinese Govt. for Sri LankaChina friendship For international conferences, plenary sessions, trade & academic shows, exhibitions, beauty pageants and musical & drama events The octagonal shape of the building is in accord with traditions of Sri Lanka’s indigenous architecture The extent of the premises is 37 acres Raw material and the technology are both from China 4 storyed building with 90 rooms The main hall covers 650 Sq m with 2000 seating capacity A cinema hall for 200 spectators Sirimavo Bandaranaike exhibition hall established in 2003 A parliament act was passed to manage the complex in 1975 by the name of ‘BMICH Foundation’ The catering of any event in BMICH is done only by Mount Lavinia Hotel Within the complex, Hotel, Police post, Post Office and Bank facilities also provided
Buddha Statue opposite the BMICH
This is a replica of the Buddha statue at Avukana close to Kalaweva in Anuradhapura Avukana statue is carved out of the existing granite rock, but this one is a masonry work with cement, lime and sand with concrete structure The height of Avukana statue is 11.36m According to Prof. Paranavithana the Avukana statue was constructed during the 8th century Buddha’s right hand depicts the Abhaya Mudra or the posture of fearlessness This was built according to nine faces proportion described by the text ‘Sadhanamala’
Planetarium
One can see the night sky during the day time in the Planetarium This was constructed to adorn the general exhibition in 1965 The whole building was locally design by the world renowned architect & civil Engineer Dr. D.S.Kulasinghe They use the East Germany projector to show for 25,000 years in past and 25,000 years in future The seating capacity is 570, but starts a show with at least 50 participants The show duration is one and a half hours Whatever technologies are used, the objective is normally to link them together to provide an accurate relative motion of the sky Typical systems can be set to display the sky at any point in time, past or present Often to show the night sky as it would appear from any point of latitude on Earth
Colombo University
The University of Colombo (informally Colombo University or UoC) is a public research University Located primarily in Colombo 7, Sri Lanka The oldest institution of modern higher education in Sri Lanka It is also the largest and oldest university in the island Specialized in the fields of natural, social, and applied sciences, mathematics, computer sciences, law and medicine It is ranked among the top 10 universities in South Asia The University of Colombo was founded in 1921 as University College Colombo It was affiliated to the University of London Degrees were issued to its students from 1923 onwards The university traces its roots to 1870 when the Ceylon Medical School was established UoC has produced notable alumni in the fields of medicine, science, law, economics, business, literature, and politics The university is a state university Most of its funding coming from the central government via the University Grants Commission Its motto is “Buddhih Sarvatra Bhrajate”, which means “Wisdom shines forth everywhere” in Sanskrit Over 10,000 internal students attend University of Colombo Others follow external degree programs conducted by the university Colombo University
Fort Railway Station
Fort Railway Station is a major rail hub in Colombo The present Fort Station was opened in 1917, as a new central station for Colombo Fort Station is a couple of kilometers away from Maradana junction Station, This is the major rail station in Colombo The first train trip was on 27th of December 1864 from Colombo to Ambepussa In 1867 extended up to Kandy The Fort Railway Station is a model of the Railway Station in Manchester in England The iron arches and pillars to construct the station were brought from England There are 10 platforms and functions 300 train trips per day Today the entire lengths of the railway line are approximately 1200km Train users are nearly 300,000 passengers per day
