Have you ever travelled on a 112 bus? Most would comment on how slow this bus is and the lack of it at times when it is most required. What interested me was not the 112 bus but the destination it leads to from Maharagama, and that is Kotahena.

One would wonder what would be there to see in Kotahena but being the curious explorer and of course with the help of Google, there are some fascinating places in Kotahena and around that one would be interesting to visit.

Traveling in a 112 bus, it takes around 45 minutes to reach Kotahena and the first stop in our journey was, St. Lucia Cathedral in Kotahena, which is known to be the oldest and largest parish cathedral in Sri Lanka. It is situated within the heart of Kotahena, a few minutes walk from the Kotahena bus stop along a narrow laid back road.

What makes this church interesting is its gothic architecture and the intricate designs and statues similar to that of Catholic churches mostly seen in Negombo and of course the pinnacle of the cathedral is its dome. The dome of this cathedral is an eminent attraction that can be admired from any corner within the vicinity of the cathedral and the Kotahena town itself.

The interior of the cathedral engulfed us immediately, along the side aisles are ornate statues of saints sculptured and painted in minute detail. Open confessionals carved in dark wood were also placed along the aisles. Altars of white marble were located in the transepts of the church. When led up the narrow staircase, we came across “Anthony Thomas”, an enormous bell which is engraved with elaborate floral wreaths and Christian religious figures. It has been mentioned that this was one of the largest of the four bells shipped all the way from Marseilles, France and christened at the cathedral in 1903.

Subsequent to visiting St. Lucia’s Cathedral, our journey took us to the Kotahena Junction and down Srimath Ramanadan Mawatha to visit the Shri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil. This Kovil is quite unique to that of the usual Kovils, since the walls of the Kovil were made out of smooth granite and without much Hindu religious figures being carved on to the granite, except at the entrance to the Kovil and which would otherwise be seen in other Hindu Kovils.

Few meters down Srimath Ramanadan Road, stands the St. Anthony’s Shrine Kochchikade. Being present at the church on a Saturday morning, it was astonishing to see hundreds of devotees, young and old continuing with their prayer whilst lighting candles regardless of the social status they held. The church was not much for architectural appreciation but for the conviction it has instilled in its devotees. The atmosphere was such that any visitor would be overwhelmed by the faith that surrounded them.

Finding Kotahena, et al. to continue..

Finding Kotahena continued...

Subsequent to visiting the St. Anthony’s Church, the next destination on the list to visit is the Wolfendhal Church which is situated in Pettah. From the junction near St. Anthony’s Church you can reach the Wolfendhal Church by going down K.B. Christie Perera Mawatha, turning right and thereby going up the Vivekananda Hill.

The church, which is now called the Christian Reformed Church is located at the top of the Vivekananda Hill. This church is the oldest Protestant church in use in Sri Lanka. The church was built by the Dutch, when the United Dutch East India Company (VOC) from Netherlands set up their administration in Colombo and the suburbs.

The name “Wolfendhal” comes from the name given to the area in which the church is located, which was described as the “Valley of Wolves” since at that time Colombo, Fort area was a marsh or a swamp frequented by jackals. This church was built on a higher elevation being surrounded by a panoramic view of the Colombo harbour and the fort, allowing the sea travellers who docked their ships at the Colombo harbour to pray directly to the church from their ships and also to use it as a land mark. However, today the view is blocked by dilapidated buildings that exist in Pettah.

Wolfendhal Church is one of the main attractions to visit during sightseeing in Pettah due to its distinguished colonial architectural design and the history behind this old church. It was unique to find a Dutch Governor having his final resting place inside the church walls and also the secret passage way that had existed connecting the Colombo harbour and the church, which transferred slaves and prisoners to land who were transported by ship from other countries. The Dutch architectural influence was quite visible looking at its roof and also its similarity to the Dutch Church in Galle, which was built later on.

The next destination for sightseers would be the Dutch Museum situated down Prince Street, Pettah. This was initially the residence of Count August Carl Van Ranzow built in the latter part of the 17th century which was open to the public as a museum in 1982. The design of the two storey building boasts of colonial Dutch influence with an open garden surrounded by columns in the centre of the house.

Visitors are able to see many artefacts from the Dutch era, when visiting this museum, but sadly the museum is not maintained properly to house these valuable treasures.

The atmosphere surrounding the museum is not very pleasing, due to the failure in town planning, allowing shops being compressed together which does not conform with the ambiance of a Dutch Colonial town house.

Compared to the status of the Dutch Church and the museum in Galle Fort, the status of the Dutch museum and the Wolfendhal Church in Pettah is quite poor, and require a lot of renovation and funds for maintenance. With the government currently focusing on the beautification of Colombo, renovating the Dutch Museum and the Wolfendhal Church should definitely be given some serious thought.

Text and pics by Radhi De Silva