Colonial buildings in Kandy

Kandy is the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. This city is the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. The Temple of the Tooth, Kandy Municipal Market and Kandy Lake are some of the famous hotspots to understand the culture. Kandy town itself is a lovely place with its colonial buildings, like the Old Post Office, The Queen’s Hotel and The Royal Bar and Hotel. Other buildings that are remaining from colonial eras are for example housing shops selling gemstones and antique jewellery. Kandy is a world heritage city.

The Queen's Hotel

The Queen’s Hotel, is an 80-room British colonial style 3-star hotel, located at the central hill capital of Kandy in Sri Lanka. Located in the centre of the city at the end of the main street, this former Governor’s residence is one of the oldest hotels in Sri Lanka with a history of over 160 years.

The hotel was originally constructed as a residence on instructions of King Sri Vickrama Rajasinha. Soon after the British defeated the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815, it was adapted as a mansion for the Governor of Ceylon, with adjoining buildings constructed to house British troops. The building was subsequently converted into the barracks, as a hostel and a boarding house, known as the Stainton Hotel. In 1869 its name was changed into the Queen’s Hotel.

The Kandy Railway Station

The railway station at Kandy was constructed on a site known as Deiyange Wela. Kandy Railway Station features both Modernist and Victorian architecture. The station building is of the Art Moderne style, incorporating curving forms and long horizontal lines. It uses concrete massing to create a geometric form. Its minimalist walls and simple, bold forms contrast sharply with the highly ornamented, traditional architecture that surrounds it. The structure sheltering the platforms is of an older Victorian design. The structure displays stylish arches and intricate metalwork.

The Royal Bar & Hotel

Built at the beginning of the 19th century as a residential house for the upper class, the building became the first bar of the city and the lodge for the British officers. The Royal Bar and Hotel in Kandy is Kandy’s oldest licensed tavern and was established in 1860. The Royal Bar and Hotel RHB takes away the busy feeling from the city when you walk inside. The RBH has kept an amazing colonial interior and antique collection and is declared a conserved building in the World Heritage City of Kandy.

The Old Post Office

The first post office (the ‘Old’ Post office) was opened in Kandy in 1820, under the direction of the Postmaster General of Ceylon, Louis Sansoni. The first mail coach service, between Colombo and Kandy, began operations in 1832. The carriage horses were parked at this spot and the horses were well fed and the transport of the post service began. With the coming of the railway service, the horse carriage transport came to an end.

The Kandy Town Hall

The building known as the Dunuwille Walawwe was acquired by the Municipal Council in 1870 at a court sanctioned auction. It was initially used as the city’s Town Hall, but currently houses the Council’s administrative staff. The Town Hall of Kandy is the headquarters of the Kandy Municipal Council and the office of the Mayor of Kandy.