Gangaramaya is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, started by the famous scholar monk Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera in the late 19th Century. After the Venerable Sri Sumangala, his chief pupil Devundera Sri Jinaratana Nayake Thera took on the administration of the temple. It was he who laid the foundation to convert the little temple to an institute of international reckoning. The next chief incumbent was the Ven. Devundara Keerthi Sri Sumangala Jinaratana Vacissara Thera, the teacher of the Ven. Galboda Gnanissara, who worked to make the Gangaramaya what it is today: much more than a temple in the conventional term, but a place of worship, a seat of learning and a cultural centre.
The Neo-Baroque-style building was built during the British colonial era to house the Legislative Council of Ceylon, and was an idea of Sir Henry McCallum. This was subsequently included in a proposal made by a committee to construct the new building for the Secretariat, Council Chamber and Government offices on reclaimed land at the northern end of Galle Face, which was approved by the Government in 1920.
Galle Face is a 5 ha (12 acres) ocean-side urban park, which stretches for 500 m (1,600 ft) along the coast, in the heart of Colombo, the financial and business capital of Sri Lanka. The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Governor Sir Henry George Ward, although the original Galle Face Green extended over a much larger area than is seen today. The Galle Face Green was initially used for horse racing and as a golf course, but was also used for cricket, polo, football, tennis and rugby.
Independence Memorial Hall (also Independence Commemoration Hall) is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the restoration of full governing responsibility to a Ceylonese-elected legislature on February 4, 1948. It is located in Independence Square (formerly Torrington Square) in the Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo. It also houses the Independence Memorial Museum. The monument was built at the location where the formal ceremony marking the start of self-rule, with the opening of the first parliament by the HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester occurred at a special podium February 4, 1948. Located 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. Apart from a monument it served as the ceremonial assembly hall for the Senate of Ceylon and the House of Representatives of Ceylon until the parliament was moved to the new parliament complex. Currently it is the venue for religious events and annual national day celebrations.
The Colombo Museum as it was called at the beginning was established on 1st January 1877. It founder was Sir William Henry Gregory, the British Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the time. The Royal Asiatic Society (CB) was instrumental in bringing to the notice of Gregory on his appointment as Governor in 1872 the need for a public museum with much difficulty the approval of the legislative council was obtained within a year. The Architect of the Public Works Department, J.G. Smither was able to prepare the plans for new structure on Italian architectural style. The construction was completed in 1876 and the Museum commenced it functions in the following year. The Authorities of the museum took various steps to display the cultural and natural heritage of the country for this purpose. With the development of the museum to international level, it earned the status of a national museum during the period of Dr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala. He was able to open up branch museums in Jaffna, Kandy and Ratnapura and a full - fledged Department of National Museums was established in 1942 under the act No. 31. The extension of the number of branch museums has now increased to nine and in addition a school science programme and a mobile museum service are also in operation.
Shop at ease at laksala for all the handicrafts and hand made srilankan products
Do you know Srilanka is famous for rich gems? Here is the opportunity to shop your heart captured Gems and Jewelleries for cheap rates which are approved by the Gem Bureau of Srilanka (No hidden bussiness 100% Satisfied)
Construction of the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque commenced in 1908 and the building was completed in 1909. The mosque was commissioned by the local Indian Muslim community, based in Pettah, to fulfill their required five-times-daily prayer and Jummah on Fridays. The mosque's designer and builder was Habibu Labbe Saibu Labbe (an unqualified architect), and was based on details/images of Indo-Saracenic structures provided by South Indian traders, who commissioned him. It is a hybrid style of architecture, that draws elements from native Indo-Islamic and Indian architecture, and combines it with the Gothic revival and Neo-classical styles. Originally it had the capacity for 1,500 worshippers although at the time only around 500 were attending prayers. It is a distinctive red and white candy-striped two-storey building, with a clock tower, and is reminiscent of the Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (constructed in 1910). Before other landmarks were built, some claim that the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port. In 1975 the mosque, with the assistance of the Haji Omar Trust,purchased a number of the adjoining properties and commenced building an expansion to the mosque to increase its capacity to 10,000.
Had a wonderful time in Colombo, thanks to Mr. Feroze. He is a wonderful guide and driver. The car was good and comfortable, he speaks good English and has a wonderful knowledge of the city. He was very helpful and cooperative as he took me places not included in the tour. 5 stat service
The Kingfisher One-Day Colombo City Tour is an excellent option for anyone looking to explore the essence of Colombo. It was well-organized and insightful tour, perfect for exploring the city, covering key attractions. It combines convenience, insightful storytelling, and a well-rounded itinerary, making it ideal for first-time visitors.
We recently had the pleasure of exploring Colombo with Kingfisher Tours Srilanka.We just loved their service and professionalism.It was an unforgettable trip to Srilanka which was guided by them.Highly Recommended
Ferose, our driver, showed us around in Colombo on a 4 hour tour. Good to explain and tell and he also tookbus eat local sri Lanka food
We rented a van for 6 people and had a wonderful day! Our guide Khan was so delightful! He was kind, polite, helpful, and knowledgeable . He took us to all the sites we wanted to see, and was with us every step of the way to help us or answer any questions we may have. The driver was great too and always made sure the motor and a/c were on when we got back into the van. Khan's wife had just had a baby 12 hours before our tour, and he shared a photo of his beautiful baby girl with us. It was a truly memorable day.
We booked a van for 6 people and toured the sites and did some shopping as well. Our guide Khan was wonderful! He was charming, polite, friendly, and knowledgeable. He took us everywhere we wanted to go and stayed with us wherever we went to assist or answer any questions. The driver was great too. Whenever we came back to the van, he had already started it up so the a/c was flowing for our comfort. Khan's wife had just had a baby 12 hours earlier and he shared with us a photo of his beautiful little baby girl. He was a delight ,as was our entire day.
Really enjoyed our tour with Ferose who was an excellent guide. Saw a lot of Colombo in 3-4 hours and found it fascinating. A real mix of old and new.
2 Sisters, cruise ship delayed by hours and nothing stopped our guide Answer from meeting us as arranged, with a beaming smile and welcome, and an air-conditioned mini van for the 2 of us.. no crammed in taxis or tuktuks for us We set off for a slightly modified tour due to the ships changes, on a fun, laughter packed sightseeing afternoon. The sights were fab, assistance thoughtful and the best he could. Sometimes the language barrier got in the way but when I adjusted my fast Australian speech things were much better. We would recommend Kingfisher tours to any solo, group, family or couple.. Thanks
As I’m travelling solo and doing only a 20hrs connection in Sri Lanka, I had no time to waste, so I booked a guide from Kingfisher tours and they sent Ferose Masse to look after me. Ferose was extremely friendly and helpful, no words can describe how much he helped me throughout the entire day! First off, he picked me up at the airport 2 hrs prior the time we had arranged because my flight arrived early, drove me to a breakfast place, and as I had forgotten to take cash out, he lended me cash to spend during the day. From the breakky shop we went on to the Spice Garden experience, which is very nice, I learned a lot about what plants, herbs and natural medicine can do, after the quick tour around the plants we headed to the Elephant activity point, were I was able, for the first time ever, to see, wash, take photos etc of an elephant, what a magical moment!! Then we had lunch, which was provided by the company, the restaurant was very nice and lunch was plenty of options, all with extremely large portions! For last but no least, he drove me to Sigiriyu rock fortress, where I was able to experience one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen! After spending the entire day driving me around (lots and lots of driving), telling me about the culture, food, being very nice and friendly, Ferose dropped me off at the airport. I highly recommend Kingfisher tours, not only the driver spoke english, but the car was nice and tidy, I will definitely come back. They made the most of my day here! Thank you, Ferose!
Excellent tour, Ferose, the tuk tuk driver, even helped me get rid off scammers and choose the best route possible! Also, great comments and explanation about the places I visited.
I went to Colombo for a short duration. Mr. Feroze was my guide and he helped me a lot. He is a nice and kind-hearted man. +94761895333
Wonderful few hours exploring Siri Lanka, great host very knowledgeable. Also loved the beer. Loved the temples
Our time in Colombo was bit limited, so I sought out a tour that was four hours or less and hit the highlights of the city, including the Mosque. This tour was exactly what we were looking for. Aashik, our guide and driver, was a bit quiet, but in all honesty, as a history buff, I knew extensive history about most of the sights we saw beforehand. He was quick to answer any questions we had and absolutely wanted to ensure we were seeing and doing everything we intended, but maybe less to proactively supply an extensive amount of information if we were not asking. He was professional, arrived in a timely manner and zipped us around to all the spots highlighted as part of the tour (some drive-by and some stops). Although I am personally not keen to the stops to look at gems that can often be a hard sell, I understand they are part of the tour landscape. And make no mistake, if Sri Lankan sapphires are your thing, you will enjoy this part. The stop to buy tea we enjoyed and was at a great location right by the ocean. One of the reasons we selected this tour was because it stopped at the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque. Many tours did not offer this stop. As a tourist and a female, access for us was limited, but we enjoyed the quick stop to enter the courtyard and view the beautifully cool and historically interesting hybrid style architecture. So for the way we travel, we absolutely enjoyed this tour and our time with Aashik.
We have traveled this way a lot. In this case this was our first look at Colombo and because we travel with a wheel chair, our needs are different if not unique. Mohammad handled our special requirements beyond perfect. Special stops for photos and he knew exactly where to go for some special requests. We have worked with local drivers over years of traveling and it is very easy to say he rates among the best. Do not hesitate to call on him. We will be back in Colombo in a couple of weeks and he will be the first connection for scheduling our days outings. He told us he has 9 years of experience with his own company. His pride, skill and care in his work and driving and his city wide knowledge clearly showed. On Bonus he had a quick coffee stop and a stop for yogurt in just about the blink of an eye before we could finish our request. My wife and I are both photographers and it was greatly appreciated that his order of stops and travel worked very well with the light direction making even drive by photos as perfect in natural light as the timing of our schedule would allow. Professional and relaxed... and attentive. Any traveler could not hope for better.
picture is beautiful but the street where it is main street very busy not to do with small children there are cars and a lot of tuk tuks driven and motorcycles you have to be very careful not to get hit
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