Colombo City Tour

Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque is a historic mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is located at Second Cross Street in Pettah. The mosque is a popular tourist site in the city.

Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque was built in 1909 by the Pettah Muslim community[citation needed] to fulfill their required five-times-daily prayer and Jummah on Fridays. It is one of the oldest mosques in Colombo.

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.

Gangaramaya Temple is one of the most important temples in Colombo, Sri Lanka, being a mix of modern architecture and cultural essence.

The temple's architecture demonstrates an eclectic mix of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture.

This Buddhist temple includes several imposing buildings and is situated not far from the placid waters of Beira Lake on a plot of land that was originally a small hermitage on a piece of marshy land. It has the main features of a Vihara (temple), the Cetiya (Pagada) the Bodhitree, the Vihara Mandiraya, the Seema malaka (assembly hall for monks) and the Relic Chamber. In addition, a museum, a library, a residential hall, a three storeyed Pirivena, educational halls and an alms hall are also on the premises.

Most notable for tourists is the architecture of the Simamalaka Shrine, which was built with donations from a Muslim sponsor to the design of Geoffrey Bawa.

From the hustle and bustle of the City of Colombo, the commercial hub of the island you are now in the national Capital Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte, once the seat of the kings and the centre of poets and artistes. Here, within the sight of the National Parliament lies ‘Apé Gama,’ a replica of the villages of yesteryear in Sri Lanka, where society was managed as an agro-economy with flourishing traditional industries and the inhabitants lived a simple life with contentment.

ODEL is Sri Lanka's first example of a retailing company. Starting out as a single company, focusing on the retail garment trade, ODEL has over the years developed and become the first department store in Sri Lanka.

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.

Behind the secret of perfection in a product unfolds the legacy of an exceptional history. The establishment of a factory in Nippon Toke, Nagoya, Japan in 1904 was the birth of a giant in the global ceramic industry. Founded by Baron Ichizaemon Morimura and his colleagues, it is known today as Noritake.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the Americans too wanted the luxury of the type of art enjoyed by the European elite. New York was the central location of this rennaisance. The European style art objects that an American family could display on their mantelpiece were products of early Noritake. For more than a century since through its innovative imagination and experience Noritake has been able to hallmark the highest standards in porcelainware around the world.

With they country’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, Sri Lankan pottery and craft dates back to the 5th century before the Common Era. This expertise is born of a composite tradition of centuries.

The 130 year old Royal Colombo Golf Club:

Golf in Sri Lanka, like many other British sports gained popularity on the Galle Face Green. The Colombo Golf Club was formed here and in 1896 moved to its present location which was a model farm originally owned by Sir Charles Henry de Soysa, a Ceylonese philanthropist.

In 1928 the privilege of using the prefix “Royal” was bestowed upon the Club by His Majesty King George V.