20 Interesting Facts About Colombo

Facts About Colombo

Facts About Colombo

  1. Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population.
  2. The biggest and oldest park in Colombo is the Viharamahadevi Park, formerly known as Victoria Park, and features a large Buddha statue.
  3. Colombo Marathon is an internationally recognised marathon established in 1998.
  4. Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago.
  5. In 1796, the British captured Colombo, keeping it as a British military outpost until 1815 when Colombo was named the capital of the newly-created British Ceylon crown colony.
  6. Colombo is divided into 15 numbered areas for the purposes of postal services.
  7. The Vesak festival is Colombo’s most beautiful festival is the celebration of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death all falling on the same day. 
  8. The Colombo has many canals and, in the heart of the city, the 65-hectare Beira Lake.
  9. National Museum of Colombo is the largest museum in Sri Lanka.
  10. Colombo is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District.
  11. Muslim Moor traders began to settle in Colombo in the 8th century AD.
  12. Colonial buildings influenced by the Portuguese, Dutch and British exist alongside structures built in Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Indian and Contemporary architectural styles.
  13. The name ‘Colombo’, first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhala name කොලොන් තොට Kolon thota, meaning “port on the river Kelani”.
  14. Founded in 1880, The Royal Colombo Golf Club is a sanctuary situated in the heart of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is the second oldest Royal Golf Club.
  15. Colombo Harbour is the largest and one of the busiest ports in Sri Lanka.
  16. The National Museum of Colombo, established on 1 January 1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial Governor Sir William Henry Gregory, is in the Cinnamon Gardens area.
  17. The estimated Population of Colombo is 752,993.
  18. Colombo features a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification, falling just short of a tropical rainforest climate.
  19. Colombo is twinned with: Biratnagar, Nepal; Saint Petersburg, Russia; Shanghai, China; Leeds, United Kingdom; Ulan Bator, Mongolia; Malé, Maldives & Maroshi, Maldives.
  20. Colombo is the home for two of the country’s most popular international cricket stadiums: Colombo Cricket Club Ground & Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.
Facts About Colombo
Interesting Facts About Colombo