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Amongst the little known historic monuments of Colombo, is large gothic church-like mansion in the old business quarter of Pettah. People, both locals and tourists, pass it by with little thought to what it contains – a veritable treasure trove of artifacts. It vanishes among the landscape surrounded by equally dated buildings, colorful modern shops and other interesting pieces of architecture. The fact that it’s in one of the busiest sectors of the city doesn’t help. This building is the Old Town Hall, once the seat of the Colombo Municipality and was the main location for council meetings in Colombo.
History
The Old Town Hall was built in 1873, designed by the British architect J G Smither who also designed furniture to match, and was the first civic building to be opened in Colombo. The building was used as the municipal headquarters for over 50 years, until 1924. At the time thee was also a hall alongside it, used for the growth of the arts in the form of street plays and dramas – Edinburgh Hall. The hall was built at the same time and reflected several matching architectural features; such filigreed cast iron detailing, a slightly gothic design and etc.