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History & Evolution
Colombo is a natural harbor. The city of Colombo was known to Arab, Chinese and Roman traders over 2000 years ago. The city's first settlement was the Arab muslims who began settling at Colombo for trade purposes. Portuguese explorers arrived in Sri Lanka in the year 1505. Portuguese gained the control of entire coast line and established a trading post in Colombo.

With the downfall of the Sri Lankan kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete control over the entire coastal area and Colombo was made the capital. The Dutch occupied Colombo in 1656. The Dutch had control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including Colombo. The city served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796. The next in the line were the British, who captured Colombo in 1796. Colombo was the capital of the colony of Ceylon. Most of the architecture of the city of Colombo shaped up during this possession by the Britishers.

The Britishers built magnificent buildings in and around Colombo and they are held responsible for the development of infrastructure in the city of Colombo. With the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948 the city of Colombo underwent a series of changes in laws and customs, clothing styles and cultures. The influence of Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is clearly reflected in in Colombo’s architecture, names, clothing, food, language and customs.

Site-Seeing
The city of Colombo is bestowed with numerous heritage sites and beautiful natural landscapes. The city is visited by a large number of visitors each year. The city's eventful history is responsible for a magnificent architectural landmarks in the city.

Pettah:
Pettah is a major shopping district in Colombo. The Pettah is recognized with busy and bustling streets. The Pettah has a large monument known as the Khan Clock erected in 1923 in the memory of Grandee Franjee Bhikkajee Khan. You can find hundreds of shops and street stalls which offer an amazing range of goods at the most incredible bargains.

The place is crowded with shops selling bright printed fabrics, suitings, footwear, handbags, children's wear, semi precious jewelry, watches to electrical goods, rare first edition books, cutlery, spices, fruits and vegetables, dried fish, paraffin, batteries and other household items. The place has several streets with each street selling a particular item. Some famous streets of Pettah are the Keyzer Street which is famous for household goods and Prince Street which is famous for glass, mirrors and electrical items. The Pettah is a noisy crowded place which is worth a visit. The place is not only a shoppers paradise but a sightseeing destination as well.

Location: Colombo Fort

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage:
The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was an initiative of the Sri Lanka wildlife department to preserve the elephants in their natural habitat. The Orphanage was established in the year 1975. It is a 24 acres large elephant orphanage and a breeding place for elephants. The orphanage was earlier located at the Wilpattu National Park. Later, it was shifted to the tourist complex at Bentota and finally to shifted to Pinnawela.

The orphanage had only five baby elephants at that time. Today the orphanage houses a large number of elephants. Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is one of the few elephant orphanages in the world. The place is renowned worldwide and is visited by tourists from all over the world. In 1978, the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens. Elephants are kept in a good environment and are properly fed. The place is not only visited by tourists but also by students and various research organizations.

Location: Northwest of the town of Kegalla

The Colombo Fort:
The Colombo fort was erected by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The Fort in Colombo houses several government offices and the major five star hotels of the city. The fort is visited by a large number of visitors each year and is an important sightseeing destination. The area surrounding the fort is called Pettah and is the commercial center.

The Presidential Secretariat (The Old Parliament House) and the Grand Oriental Hotel are located near the fort. The vicinity of the Fort also houses the Lighthouse, Central Clock Tower and the red and white Cargills and Millers departmental stores. 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 is home to several important buildings like the Ceylinco Building, the World Trade Center and the Hilton, Galadari and Intercontinental Hotels. The world trade center which is regarded as the second tallest building in South Asia. .

Location: Colombo city center