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Colombo

Adjoining its harbour developed by the British not really looked out towards the sea. The city with the Portuguese name is still the economic nerve center of the nation, though affairs of the state are nowadays conducted from Sri Jayawardanapura.

Compared to the ancient Sinhalese royal cities, the capital of Sri Lanka is in its formative phase, its fate determines by economic interests rather than politics called “Kalan Tota” the Kelani Ferry by the Sinhalese and became Kalambu under the Arab traders in the Middle Ages and a strategic port of call between the Arabian Peninsula and the Malaysian world. The discovery of maritime route between Europe and the East Indies via the Cape of the Wood Hope put an end to the Arab monopoly in the spice trade between Europe and the Orient. Kalanbu became an important link in the chain of trading ports of Malacca and Macao on the seas of China.

The Portuguese obtained authorization from the king of Kotte, to set up a trading post to the south of the Kelani river. Colombo is still known today by the name given to it by the Portuguese. Colombo fell to the Dutch in 1656 and a new fort replaced the Portuguese one to South of the harbour. A route was established between Colombo and the Port of Galle in the South. To the North a canal was built linked by the network of lagoons from Negombo to Puttlam. Colombo became the island’s sea and river trade.

Colombo is divided into 15 postal districts. The Fort (Colombo 01) and the Pettah (Colombo 11) Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 07) in search of architectural curiosities among the luxury villas.

Pettah- from the Tamil pettai ‘outside the walls’ was setup by the English to accommodate bazar, thereby the art of doing business Indian-Muslim and Malay style. Pettah is nothing special. The Dutch Period Museum is the only building without a sign and in 1750’s this building was the residence of Dutch Governers and its architecture alone merits a detour. All the fittings of the building inside evoke the way of life of the Dutch and their relationship with the Kandyan Court. The entrance hall retraces the history of the founding of VOC “Dutch East India Company” and the arrival of the Dutch. The most of the Tamils lined with jewellers shops selling gold jewellery and the area of the highest concentration of Hindu Kovils.

Public access to the Port is prohibited and the nerve-center of Colombo lies at the end of the street. This was the grand entrance to the city seen by travelers.

The imposing Grand Oriental hotel under the impressive gaze of a marble statue of Queen Victoria erected on the other side of the street. Top floor restaurant offers an unique view over the port of Colombo.

Galle Face Green
The famous billets of the Britisher officers of the Indian army and its great sea front lawn designed as a place for cavalry to exercise, where Colombo high society came to stroll and show off their finery.
The Presidential Secretariat the former Parliament building still survives the Victorian terrace.

Cinnamon Gardens
The former cinnamon plantation has evolved into an upmarket residential district where the majority of the embassies are now based in the old colonial mansions.

The town hall building
Now housed the office of the Colombo Municipality built in 1927 to the neo-classical style of the Capitol in Washington. Viharamahadevi park formally Victoria park both were queens which marked the boundary between the business quarters and the Cinnamon Gardens during the British Period.

National Museum
The elegant white colonial building built by the English architect James Smith was inaugurated by the governor William Gregory. Stretching to the West of Colombo Mount Lavinia is a pleasant residential district in the suburbs of Colombo and its beach is most popular with the inhabitants of the capital. Mount Lavinia House was the British governor’s residence became a hotel in 1871.

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