A vacation in Colombo is not complete unless you have seen some monuments which are truly exquisite and one of a kind. While there are many such prehistoric edifices that you will enjoy watching and understanding, the connoisseur in you should certainly not miss these top picks.

 
National Museum: This is Sri Lanka’s premier institution. Dating back to 1877, you will see all kinds of art, carvings and statues from Sri Lanka’s ancient past, as well as swords, guns and other paraphernalia from the colonial period. There are also fascinating 19th-century reproductions of English paintings of Sri Lanka, and an excellent collection of antique demon masks. A large 9th-century stone Buddha greets you with an enigmatic smile as you enter. There is a magnificent royal throne made for King Wimaladharma in 1693, as well as a 9th-century bronze Bodhisattva Sandals.

Old City Hall: Dating to 1865, this is a municipal building from the British era and houses some old trucks and municipal equipment in the ground-floor galleries. If you walk up the vintage mahogany stairs, you’ll discover something of a waxworks in the old council chambers. There, covered in dust, are replicas of the town’s first councillors in 1906.

Dutch Period Museum: This museum was once the 17th-century residence of the Dutch governor and has since been used as a Catholic seminary, a military hospital, a police station as well as a post office. This beautiful mansion contains a lovely garden courtyard and has a nice faded feel since a 1977 restoration. This mansion is famous for it is here in 1638 that King Rajasinghe II of the Kingdom of Kandy signed the treaty that opened up Ceylon to the Dutch.

Keep looking at this space to get information on more exciting monuments in Colombo. While in Colombo, stay at Ramada Katunayake, located only 10 mins from the international Airport.