Valli’s guidebook

Valli
Valli’s guidebook

Neighborhoods

In early British times, the residential areas of Colombo was in the North side of the Fort comprising of Kotahena Mutwal, Hultsdorp and Grandpass. The British built grand houses in which leading citizens lived. Most of these houses have since disappeared. The College House Kotahena remains one of the few old houses from a bygone era.
In early British times, the residential areas of Colombo was in the North side of the Fort comprising of Kotahena Mutwal, Hultsdorp and Grandpass and the houses in which leading citizens lived. Most of these houses have disappeared. The trend towards Cinnamon Gardens and Kollupitiya started in 1865. The greatest changes took place in Colombo with the development of the coffee-industry on the island, the building of the south-west breakwater. The development of the Port began in 1864. The term Pettah, an Anglo-Indian word was introduced by the British to designate what the Dutch called the Oude Stad or old town. The Singhalese word pitakotuwa means the same thing, outside the Fort. In early British times, the Pettah was a pleasant place, less noisy, less dusty and less congested than it is today. It contained many fine houses, trim gardens and shady walks. Most of the wealthy descendants of the Portuguese and Dutch lived in the Pettah.
Srimath Ramanathan Mawatha
Srimath Ramanathan Mawatha
In early British times, the residential areas of Colombo was in the North side of the Fort comprising of Kotahena Mutwal, Hultsdorp and Grandpass and the houses in which leading citizens lived. Most of these houses have disappeared. The trend towards Cinnamon Gardens and Kollupitiya started in 1865. The greatest changes took place in Colombo with the development of the coffee-industry on the island, the building of the south-west breakwater. The development of the Port began in 1864. The term Pettah, an Anglo-Indian word was introduced by the British to designate what the Dutch called the Oude Stad or old town. The Singhalese word pitakotuwa means the same thing, outside the Fort. In early British times, the Pettah was a pleasant place, less noisy, less dusty and less congested than it is today. It contained many fine houses, trim gardens and shady walks. Most of the wealthy descendants of the Portuguese and Dutch lived in the Pettah.
The oldest church in Colombo built by the Dutch Wolvendaal Church (Wolvendaalse Kerk) is located in Pettah, a neighbourhood of Colombo. Governor Julius Valentyn Stein van Gollenesse in 1743 decided that the church would be erected in the area beyond the city walls, which at the time was swamp and marshland. The Europeans mistook the packs of roaming jackals for wolves, and the area became known as Wolvendaal (Wolf's Dale or Wolf's Valley). The site that was selected was on a hill which commanded views across the town and over the harbour and was in proximity to the town's entrance. The site was also occupied by a small church, which had existed from the earliest period of Dutch occupation when the Wolvendaal neighbourhood was a quiet suburban parish.
Aluthkade East
The oldest church in Colombo built by the Dutch Wolvendaal Church (Wolvendaalse Kerk) is located in Pettah, a neighbourhood of Colombo. Governor Julius Valentyn Stein van Gollenesse in 1743 decided that the church would be erected in the area beyond the city walls, which at the time was swamp and marshland. The Europeans mistook the packs of roaming jackals for wolves, and the area became known as Wolvendaal (Wolf's Dale or Wolf's Valley). The site that was selected was on a hill which commanded views across the town and over the harbour and was in proximity to the town's entrance. The site was also occupied by a small church, which had existed from the earliest period of Dutch occupation when the Wolvendaal neighbourhood was a quiet suburban parish.