Name: Old Town Hall Colombo
Rating: 2

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Old Town Hall Colombo

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Old Town Hall Colombo

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Location: Sri Lanka

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Best Hikes to Old Town Hall Colombo

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1. Colombo Town Hall – Galle Face Green loop from Cinnamon Garden

16.8km

04:18

60m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

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2. Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque – Pettah Market loop from Kollupitiya

11.8km

03:03

60m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

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3. Pettah Market District – Fort Railway Station loop from Maradana

9.88km

02:33

50m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

JTH

January 7, 2024

Among Colombo's little-known historical monuments is the large Gothic church-like mansion in the old business district of Pettah. People, both locals and tourists, walk past it without thinking about what it contains - a treasure trove of artifacts. It disappears into the landscape, surrounded by equally dated buildings, colorful modern shops and other interesting pieces of architecture. The fact that it's in one of the busiest neighborhoods in the city doesn't help. This building is the Old Town Hall, which was once the seat of the Colombo Municipality and the main venue for council meetings in Colombo.

Built in 1873 to a design by British architect JG Smither, who also designed matching furniture, the Old Town Hall was the first public building to open in Colombo. The building served as the municipal headquarters for over 50 years, until 1924. In 1925, the municipal headquarters was moved to the current town hall next to Viharamahadevi Park. With the change in premises, the Old Town Hall fell into dust and was no longer used.

In 1980, the dilapidated structure came to the attention of then President Premadasa, who renovated it in 1984 and turned it into one of Colombo's historic landmarks. There is no entry fee for the visit. So it's basically just a matter of knocking and coming in. As soon as you enter the building, the first thing you notice are the dust particles that shimmer in the dim light that shines through the old glass panes of the tall windows. A musty smell permeates the structure. The smell of time and history.

Source: de.lakpura.com/pages/old-town-hall

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 10 m

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Tuesday 7 October

31°C

28°C

100 %

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Max wind speed: 7.0 km/h

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Location: Sri Lanka

Old Town Hall Colombo

1. Colombo Town Hall – Galle Face Green loop from Cinnamon Garden

2. Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque – Pettah Market loop from Kollupitiya

3. Pettah Market District – Fort Railway Station loop from Maradana

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