The Fort in Colombo

Colombo or Sinhala is the largest city, capital and commercial center of Sri Lanka. The name Colombo was bestowed upon it by the Portuguese. It is also believed that the city derives its name from the Sinhala name Kola-amba-thota meaning   -  harbor with leafy mango trees  -  . Colombo today is a vibrant mix of modernity and ancient remains. Being a natural harbor, Colombo occupied a significant place in the history of the Arabs, Romans, Arabs and Chinese. Arabian Muslims resided in Colombo in the 8th century. They saw the port as a lucrative center of trade between Sinhala and the outside world. The Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka in 1505. The Portuguese entered into a treaty with the king of Kandy, by way of which they earned the trading rights along the coastal areas including Colombo. The Portuguese ousted the Muslims of the area and erected a fort to protect their trading interests. The area is even today known as the fort. The Fort in Colombo home to government offices and the major five star hotels of the city is an important sightseeing destination. The area beyond the fort is called Pettah (or   -  pita kotuwa  -   in Singhalese which means outer fort) and is the commercial center. The Fort in Colombo is the nerve center of the city.

Features of the fort in Colombo:

  -   The fort area is home to the the Presidential Secretariat (The Old Parliament House), the Grand Oriental Hotel (built in the mid 19th century as barracks for soldiers), the Lighthouse, Central Clock Tower and the red and white Cargills and Millers departmental stores. The Cargills and Millers complex is protected under a special act of government in order to maintain the historic richness of the fort area.
  -   The fort also houses General Post Office building, the Delft Gateway of the Dutch era, and the Fort Police Station which was once a Dutch Hospital.
  -   The fort includes modern buildings like the Ceylinco Building, the World Trade Center and the Hilton, Galadari and Intercontinental Hotels.
  -   The city center houses the 40 story twin tower complex, the world trade center which is regarded as the second tallest building in South Asia. The tower complex is the hub of major commercial institutions.