Joanna James
Gone are the days when Colombo was treated as just a stopover to the country's beaches and hill country. The city has now developed at blistering speed and has plenty of things to do and see.
Being a predominantly Buddhist country through most of its history, Sri Lanka has a number of eye catching temples that display Buddhist architecture at its finest. One such temple is the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple. Located in the heart of Colombo, the temple is set on the banks of the Beira Lake and is one of the most tranquil spaces in the bustling city. Not just a temple, the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple also houses a museum that displays a number of historically important Buddhist relics that make for interesting viewing.
The most famous of urban parks in the capital, the Viharamadevi Park – previously known as Victoria Park – was set up all the way back during the British Era. There is no entrance fee to the park and it is a great location to relax. However, the park tends to get crowded during the weekends as many of the city's dwellers drop by during the evenings.
Head to the National Museum of Colombo to view some of the most important artefacts related to the country's vibrant and often turbulent past. Located in a grand Colonial Era building, the museum is a stately building. You can see a range of exotic items like gem studded daggers and swords, the throne of the last king of Sri Lanka and other belongings of major past figures. The museum also features imitations of nineteenth-century great Britain paintings and antique demonic masks that Sri Lanka is well known for. Any city hotel in Colombo, for example like Mandarina Colombo, can organize a tour to the museum should you wish to visit it.
Situated close to the commercial centre of the country, Dutch Hospital is a shopping complex that comes with a long history. It served as, literally a Dutch hospital and then as a police station for a small period of time before it was renovated and turned into an upscale shopping complex. It has a number of bars, diners and clothing stores that make it a treat to visit. Another plus point is that Dutch Hospital still retai
Largely unknown to most visitors, the Dutch Period Museum offers, as you can imagine, a peek into the era of Dutch governance. Located in a seventeenth-century building, it was once a post office before being converted into a museum. It retains its old-time charm as well as the seventeenth-century design work. On the inside, you can find Dutch Era artefacts as well as colonial furniture among many other interesting items. The Dutch Period Museum is located in Colombo 11 and definitely deserves a visit.
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