University of Colombo

Colombo


The 50-acre University of Colombo campus, which originally opened as the Ceylon Medical School in 1870, is surrounded by long tree-lined avenues lined with colonial-era mansions. Of note is Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha along the southwest side of the sporting green. Ponder the gracious lives of the people who built the Italianate baroque Saifee Villa in 1910 and the nearby turreted College House in 1912. The school has over 11,000 students.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Colombo attractions

1. College House

0.17 MILES

The turreted College House (1912) is a colonial building repurposed for the University of Colombo.

2. Geoffrey Bawa House

0.17 MILES

At the end of this quiet little street is the house where the renowned architect Bawa lived from 1960 to 1970. The house combines his usual love for…

3. Saifee Villa

0.23 MILES

This Italianate baroque edifice was constructed in 1910.

4. Lionel Wendt Centre

0.3 MILES

Has a constantly changing line-up of cultural events, with regular art exhibitions as well as performances and theatre. It’s worth turning up just to see…

5. Colombo Racecourse

0.31 MILES

Once the centre of harness racing in Colombo (and a WWII airfield), the landmark grandstands here now face a posh rugby ground, while the buildings…

6. Independence Memorial Hall

0.54 MILES

Really a large memorial building to Sri Lanka’s 1948 independence from Britain, this huge stone edifice is loosely based on Kandy’s Audience Hall. It's…

7. National Museum

0.55 MILES

Offering a captivating walk through Sri Lankan history, this delightful Colombo museum sprawls across a gleaming white, neo-Baroque building constructed…

8. National Art Gallery

0.63 MILES

The grandest thing about the National Art Gallery is its name. Next to the National Museum, it has a small collection of portraits and landscapes shown…