Colombo, Sri Lanka’s economic center is a colorful and bustling city. It’s an interesting mix of Moor, Portuguese, Dutch and British influences with a history of over 600 years.
Colombo city is an exciting place especially where the Colombo Fort District is concerned. The Fort was primarily built by the Portuguese and developed by the Dutch after invading the Portuguese regime. The Colombo Fort and the Colombo Harbour have a long history. This was mainly used by Greeks, Egyptians and Arabian merchants until 1506 for their shipping purposes. The Portuguese took control of the Colombo Harbour and they built the Fort as a defence mechanism from invaders. The fort they built around the harbour was named Colombo Fort.
The Dutch invaded Colombo Fort in 1658 and the city was developed systematically. The Beira Lake was also developed and extended in order to strengthen the Dutch defence strategy.
In 1796 the British took control of the Colombo Fort and invaded the entire country by 1815. They further developed Colombo city and made it the commercial hub of Ceylon and the Governor’s quarters was built in the Fort itself which is the President’s residence.
The British built the Parliament which now is known as the Presidential Secretariat facing Galle Face Green located in the south of Colombo city.
The Colombo port or earlier known as “The Port of Kolonthota” is the busiest and largest port in Sri Lanka which was built in early 14th century during the Kotte kingdom.
Due to its marvellous strategic location in the Indian Ocean, the port of Kolonthota was very famous among Indian, Chinese and Persian traders back in 1505. After many years of major transformation, currently the Colombo Port or Colombo Harbour is one of the busiest ports and ranks among the top 35 ports in the world.
The Fort
The heart of Colombo is known as ‘Fort’, but there is little sign of any fortifications today. The Fort area today is a collection of marble and glass structures along such venerable buildings such as the Miller’s, building and the General Post Office.
Most of the important government buildings are housed here, including the Janadhipahi Mandiraya (President’s residence, known as the Queen’s House in old times), but the President no longer stays here.
The clock tower in Fort is a familiar landmark, which was a lighthouse 140 years ago.
Pettah Market
The Pettah is Colombo’s bustling bazaar area. It’s many crisscrossing roads mark out sections which specializes in various trades from the latest models of Japanese electrical & electronic items, Swiss watches & Levi’s jeans to used computers, sarees, spices and condiments, goldsmiths and jewellers, wholesale traders in rice, sugar, onions and lentils and chilies.
The Floating Market Pettah
The Pettah Floating Markets are located on Bastian Mawatha in Pettah, a neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and consist of 92 trade stalls, with a number of the stalls established on boats on Beira Lake. The floating market serves as a tourist attraction selling local produce and local handicraft.
Historic Places in Colombo
Independence Square
Independence Commemoration Hall located on Independence Square (formally Torrington Square) in Cinnamon Gardens, is a national monument in Sri Lanka. This was built long after independence was gained from the British rule on February 4, 1948.
The structure is made of concrete, and bear columns similar to what is found in ancient Sri Lankan architecture and it was designed to resemble a Kandyan audience hall. The rows of stone lions that guard this great monument are a unique feature of this Commemoration Hall. This is also an impressive piece of art that clearly signifies the ancient architecture and the elaborated stone carvings and painting found at the memorial hall are simply breathtaking.
This remarkable site in Colombo has become a major tourist attraction due to its historical significance and extraordinary work of architecture. It is one of the significant heritage sites of the city that you must visit.
National Museum Sri Lanka
The Colombo national museum is an Italian architecture colonial type mansion which was founded by the British governor of Ceylon at that time, Sir William Henry Gregory. This treasure house is the Sri Lanka’s most prestigious, oldest and largest museum.
The museum is known to be the first public museum in Sri Lanka and has a vast collection of Antiques and many other Artefacts’ from all over the countryside. When the national museum was first opened to the public in 1st January 1877, it had a mere 800 items on display. Today that number has grown to over 100,000.
The Museum also maintains a library that has a vast collection of rare historical books and chronicles for history lovers. It is actively involved in conducting research in pre history ethnology, anthropology, culture and the crafts. It also conducts lectures and seminars periodically. .
Visiting address: Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7
Open daily except Fridays from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Colombo Dutch House Museum
The colonial mansion from the 17th century, formerly the residence of the Count August Van Ranzo has now been restored as a museum of the Dutch occupation. The Exhibits, Furniture and Ceramics give you an idea of the life of Colonialists.
Visiting address The Dutch Museum, Prince Street, Pettah
Open daily except Fridays.
Galle Face Green
Galle face green is the largest open space and the most elegant promenade located in Colombo city.
This elegant seaside promenade is a ribbon strip of land between Galle Road and Indian Ocean, stretching out to one-and-a-half kilometers. Originally the Gall face green extended over a much larger area than seen today. It was mainly used as a horse racing course and partly as a golf course over 100 years ago during the time of Sir Henry Ward, the British Governor of Ceylon in 1859.
Today, the Gall Face Green is a perfect place for all those who want to indulge in their favorite pastimes next to the sea under the open sky. The green brightens up in the evenings, with children, families, vendors, teenagers, lovers, kite flyers and merrymakers and it is at its busiest on Saturday and Sunday evenings.Surrounded by the famous colonial styled Galle Face Hotel, known as Asia’s Emerald on the Green since 1864, Ceylon Intercontinental Hotel, the Taj Samudra, and the old parliament building, the green frequently hosts numerous international & local concerts and Kite festivals which are held during the month of February.
Viharamahadevi Park
This is the largest & most attractive greenery in Colombo and best visited from March to May before the monsoon when most of the flowers are in full bloom.
It has well landscaped gardens with a varity of trees, flowers, lotus ponds, fountains, golden image of Buddha, large Statue of Queen Viharamahadevi, and Queen Victoria. On the southeastern side of the park is a special section for children with a small train, a zoo of baby animals, mini aquarium and an amusement park. You will also get to see the elephants from the temple near Beira Lake who are often kept in the park to graze.
The park is a perfect place to relax, for shady walks, picnics and most of all a great place to spend your time with your family.
Dehiwella Zoo
Dehiwala Zoological Gardens is one of the oldest zoological gardens in Asia founded in 1936. The entire zoo covers an area of 10.1 ha / 0.10 km², with well landscaped gardens and foliage to provide a more natural habitats to its animals.
It’s a home to a wide variety of animals and birds that can be found around the world. All the animals are spread out in a number of houses.
• The Reptile House – The Reptile House of Colombo Dehiwala Zoo has a collection of crocodiles, tortoises, snakes and oth- er reptiles.
• The Mini Medura – The Mini Medura has a display of more than 500 varieties of fish and is considered as one of a kind in Asia.
• The Nocturnal House – This house contains the nocturnal birds and animals like owls, bats, rodents, and lemurs.
The highlight of the zoo is the elephant circus which takes place daily at 5.15 p.m. with extra shows on Sunday and holidays at 3.15 p.m.
Mount Lavinia Beach
Mount Lavinia is a suburb located towards the south of Colombo and is famous for its “Golden Mile” of beach and Mount Lavinia Hotel. It is a perfect place to relax and enjoy during your quick business trip to Colombo or during your visit to Sri Lanka.The mount beach is a shallow beach, loved by everybody who would like to lie in the sun, relax or take a dip when it gets too hot.
There are many cheap hotels, cabanas and restaurants on the beach where you can enjoy local or foreign dishes of your choice and listen to music and if you’re in a mood to party, you can always find a beach party during the weekends. To the sailors of the 19th century, Mount Lavinia stood out like the silhouette of a pregnant wench along the Southern coastline.
This is one of the loveliest beach areas close to any metropolis in the world, being a mere 8 miles from the heart of the city of Colombo.To get there, drive south along Galle Road from Colombo Fort and turn right to Hotel Road half a mile past the Mount Lavinia cemetery. The focal point of Mount Lavinia is the Mount Lavinia Hotel, though there are others like the Mount Royal Beach Hotel which was built in the 1970s. Mount Lavinia Hotel was built in 1810 as a private residence by a fun-loving British Governor who constructed secret passages in the building. Some of these have been discovered in the kitchens, but unfortunately, are not open to the public. Apparently, a Rodiya caste girl who worked for the Governor fell in love with him. When the Governor was leaving, he asked the Rodiya girl what she wanted from him. Much to his surprise, she did not ask for the house which he was willing to give her. Instead, she asked for official permission to wear a cloth about the waist, a mark of status normally denied to Rodiya caste. The Governor gave his consent with an official gazette notification and the house was sold and turned into a hotel.
On the beach there are little bathing huts which can be hired for the day. Lie in the sun and relax, take a dip when it gets too hot and enjoy the sights and sounds. There are pineapple and coconut vendors who sell drinks to quench your thirst, while others sell beads and shells.
for more info visit below link
Mount Lavinia Beach — My Journies
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Rooftops in Colombo
Cloud red
cloud red @ Level 26 in Cinnamon Red hotel
The highest rooftop bar in town, Cloud red is all about getting into high spirits and savouring city views. Enjoy crafted cocktails served up by our mixologists and a selection of flavoursome tapas from the menu. Just make sure you are above 21 years of age and casually smart in dress, since no shorts or flip flops are allowed.
Opening times: Daily 5.00pm to 12 midnight
- For reservations, call 0112 145 175; In-house, dial 51175
The view from the top is spectacular, their cocktails are good and so is the food.I’d say the best time is between 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm, so you can catch the sunset.You don’t really realize how colourful Colombo is at night until you see it from the top.
Cloud Red has a very relaxed atmosphere with comfy seating and contemporary jazz. The roof top is spacious enough to move around without feeling sardined. The downside is that rain can ruin an evening, and the indoor enclosure is quite small (it’s supposed to be wine cellar), so wouldn’t be able to accommodate the full crowd.
On14 rooftop @ OZO hotel
Religious Places
Gangaramaya Temple
Gangaramaya Buddhist temple is a beautiful and vibrant temple with a history that dates back over 2,000 years. This temple was said to have been built in the 19th century by a trader and ship owner named Don Bastion, who had played a leading role in reviving Buddhism.
Located beside a Holy Bo Tree on the waters of Beira Lake, the temple is only accessible by crossing a wooden bridge. According to historical records, the Lord Buddha is reputed to have preached under this Bo tree which is considered as a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi and is over 100 years old.
This Temple is famous for its imposing buildings, and is complete with a chetiya, bo tree, image house, Simamalaka, relic chamber containing the relics of the Buddha and Arahat Seevali, museum, library, pirivena, and residential, education and alms halls.
The Nawam Perahera, conducted by the Gangarama temple is a major tourist attraction. The perehara was initially started in 1979 and has been held uninterrupted in the month of February since then. This beautiful festival of arts has over 1,000 performers and over 100 elephants brought from different parts of the island is the highlight of the pageant.
Colombo City Tour
Open Deck City Sightseeing Service
The Colombo City Tour, the only open deck city sightseeing service in Sri Lanka is a venture by Sri Lanka Tourism & Ebert Silva Holidays. It offers unmatched experiences and exclusive glimpses into Sri Lanka’s premier city of “Old & New”…
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Night Life in Colombo
After hours, Colombo transforms from a business hub to a “happening” network of bars and clubs. When hitting the town whether partying, watching movies or even simply hanging out is your thing, then Colombo can deliver. An abundance of lounges and bars set the stage for early evening entertainment with most of these places remaining open till late night. “Happy Hour” offers, live bands and a soothing ambience pave way for relaxed enjoyment.
The city comes alive on Friday nights with party goers patronising the many night clubs located in convenient locations. Most of these clubs are housed within leading hotels. Some of the best DJ’s in the country provide the latest in House and Hip Hop music with DJ’s from around the world making guest appearances on special nights. All clubs have a strict dress code policy and charge an entrance fee with ladies walking in free.
The newest trend to hit Colombo is right on the beach. Beach parties became an instant hit due to the casual atmosphere and blaring House & Techno music from the hottest DJ’s. The party is non-stop and goes on till the first signs of sunlight..
Feeling lucky? Why not try your luck at some of the casinos that dot the city. Most of them are open 24 hours and feature the best in gambling.
Cinemas (playing the latest movies in English, Tamil and Sinhala), theatres (highlighting the best of local talent) and pool parlours complete the entertainment picture of Colombo.
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