The Kandy Clock Tower ( si, මහනුවර ඔරලෝසු කණුව, ta, கண்டி மணிக்கூட்டுக் கோபுரம்) is located in the centre of
Kandy
Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...
on the intersections of Sri Dalada Veediya, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Mawatha and Hiragedara Mawatha. A landmark of the city, the clock tower was built near to the Ismail Building in 1950 by Haji Mohamed Ismail as a monument and in memory of his son Mohamed Zacky Ismail, who lost his life in an accident in
Kadugannawa
Kadugannawa is a town in Kandy District in the Central Province, Sri Lanka, Central Province of Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. It is located along the A1 road west of Peradeniya. The town is served by Kadugannawa Railway Station and ha ...
in August, 1947.
History
Ismail was the agent for Rowlands Limited
(who were once the largest importer of British cars in the country). On 14 August 1947 Ismail's son was returning to Kandy from Colombo with his brother-in-law, another employee and the driver when the car was crushed under a boulder that slid down in a continuous rain induced earth slip. The following day Ismail was notified of the accident by police. The land for the tower was acquired by the
Kandy Municipal Council
The Kandy Municipal Council (Sinhala language, Sinhala: මහනුවර මහ නගර සභා ''Mahanuwara Maha Nagara Sabha'') is the Politics of Sri Lanka#Local government structure, local council for Kandy, the second largest city and ...
, while the machinery and equipment needed was brought over from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
The clock tower was completed on 23 December 1950 although it wasn't officially declared open until the next year, by the then
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
,
D.S. Senanayake
Don Stephen Senanayake ( si, දොන් ස්ටීවන් සේනානායක,; ta, டி. எஸ். சேனநாயக்கா; 21 October 1884 – 22 March 1952) was a Ceylonese statesman. He was the first Prime Min ...
and the
Mayor of Kandy
The mayor of Kandy is the mayor and head of the Kandy Municipal Council
The Kandy Municipal Council (Sinhala language, Sinhala: මහනුවර මහ නගර සභා ''Mahanuwara Maha Nagara Sabha'') is the Politics of Sri Lanka#Local ...
E. L. Senanayake
Deshamanya Edward Lionel Senanayake (known commonly as E.L Senanayake) (8 August 1920 – 29 January 2000) was a Sri Lankan politician belonging to the United National Party. He was the 12th Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Speaker of the ...
.
Features
The Clock Tower was designed by
Shirley de Alwis
Shirley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë
* ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film
* ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American film
* ''Shirley'' (album), a 1961 album by Shirley Bas ...
, one of Sri Lanka's leading architects at the time.
De Alwis was the local resident architect working with Sir
Patrick Abercrombie
Sir Leslie Patrick Abercrombie (; 6 June 1879 – 23 March 1957) was an English regional and town planner. Abercrombie was an academic during most of his career, and prepared one city plan and several regional studies prior to the Second World ...
on the design of the
University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya ( si, පේරාදෙණිය විශ්වවිද්යාලය, ta, பேராதனைப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்) is a Public research university, public university in Sri Lanka ...
campus. The clock tower's design is influenced by the Kandyan style and incorporates elements of the
Temple of the Tooth
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, ( si, ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which ho ...
and the
palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
of the
King of Kandy
The Kandyan monarchs ruled the Kingdom of Kandy on the island of Sri Lanka from 1469 to 1815. The Kingdom was first established by Senasammata Vikramabahu, a royal from the Kingdom of Kotte, when he led the secession of the Kande uda pas rata ( ...
within elements of its facade.
See also
*
Koch Memorial Clock Tower
References
External links
*
{{Kandy landmarks
Monuments and memorials in Sri Lanka
Buildings and structures in Kandy
Clock towers in Sri Lanka
Tourist attractions in Central Province, Sri Lanka