Thing to do
Pettah Market
Colombo's oldest trading district, a dense grid of bazaars and market halls just east of Fort, best explored on foot on a weekday morning.
Old Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct
A Dutch colonial hospital in Colombo Fort, recorded in 1681 and reopened in 2011 as a precinct of restaurants and shops.
At a glance
- Type
- Heritage shopping and dining precinct
- Area
- Fort, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Good to know
- Restaurants
- Shops
- Heritage building
Why we recommend it
The Old Dutch Hospital is one of the oldest buildings in Colombo Fort and now one of its most pleasant places to eat, drink and shop. A hospital stood here by 1681, when it was recorded by the German traveller Christopher Schweitzer, and it was built by the Dutch to treat officers and staff of the Dutch East India Company. Its closeness to the harbour meant it also served Dutch seafarers. Among the people who worked here was Paul Hermann, who served from 1672 to 1679 and is described as the father of botany in Sri Lanka.
The building has had many lives since. It housed Colombo Apothecaries until the early 1980s and then the Colombo Fort Police Station, and it was heavily damaged in the attack that followed the 1996 Central Bank bombing. A canal once ran along what is now Canal Row, beside the building, until the British filled it in. In 2011 the complex reopened as a shopping and dining precinct, with its historic architecture preserved.
Today it is mainly a place to eat. The best-known tenant is Ministry of Crab, the restaurant founded by chef Dharshan Munidasa with cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, which serves wild-caught mud crab in sizes up to its 2-kilogram Crabzilla, opens daily from noon to 10.30pm and is closed on poya days. Other restaurants and shops share the building, so it is a useful place to rest during a walk around Fort.
The precinct works at any time of day, and in the evening it is one of the main dining addresses in Fort. Book ahead for Ministry of Crab, especially at weekends. During the day, the precinct is a useful base for exploring Fort: Sri Lanka In Style starts and ends its morning heritage walk here, taking in the Central Bank, the Old Post Office and the Cargills Building before heading into Pettah.
Galle Face Green is a short walk to the south, so an evening stroll by the sea followed by dinner here is a classic Colombo combination. Pettah and its markets are just to the east, and the Lotus Tower is a short tuk-tuk ride away across Beira Lake.
Old Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct FAQs
How old is the Dutch Hospital?
It was recorded in 1681 by Christopher Schweitzer and was built by the Dutch for the Dutch East India Company.
When did it become a shopping precinct?
It reopened as a shopping and dining precinct in 2011.
Where is it?
In Colombo Fort, beside Canal Row, close to the harbour.
What is the best-known restaurant there?
Ministry of Crab, founded by Dharshan Munidasa with Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
Do I need to book?
For Ministry of Crab, yes, especially at weekends. The courtyards and shops need no booking.
When is the best time to visit?
Evenings are liveliest, while daytime is good for a break during a walk around Fort.
Do any tours start here?
Yes. Sri Lanka In Style's heritage walk through Fort and Pettah starts and ends at the Old Dutch Hospital.
What is nearby?
Galle Face Green, Pettah and the Lotus Tower.