Colombo
Attractions
The Fort
Originally a fort during the Portuguese and Dutch periods but now simply the commercial center of the country and the site of most major offices, big hotels, some of the better shops, airline offices, banks, main post office, immigration office, travel agents and restaurants. Within Fort are several places of tourist interest which can be conveniently seen on foot. The colonial buildings include the Presidential Secretariat, previously the parliament house, the Grand Oriental Hotel, built in the mid 19th century as barracks for soldiers, the Lighthouse Clock Tower which along with being
Fort’s prominent landmark also shows the time and the red and white Cargills and Millers departmental stores, with ancient brass signs and wooden display cabinets. There is also the General Post Office building, the Delft Gateway dating to the Dutch period, and the Fort Police Station which was once a Dutch Hospital. Other examples of pre independent Sri Lanka are the Chartered Bank Building, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and the statue of Queen Victoria in Gordon Gardens. Amongst the modern structures are the Ceylinco Building, Sri Lanka’s only high rise of the 1960’s, the World Trade Center and the Hilton, Galadari and Intercontinental Hotels.
Other attractions:
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