Attraction
Gangaramaya Temple
A late 19th-century Buddhist temple near Beira Lake that mixes Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese styles and keeps a crowded museum of donated treasures.
Wolvendaal Church
A Dutch Reformed church consecrated in 1757, with metre-and-a-half-thick walls, governors' tombstones in its floor and rare colonial furniture.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic church
- Area
- Pettah, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Good to know
- Dutch tombstones
- Historic furniture
Why we recommend it
Wolvendaal Church is the most important Dutch colonial building in Sri Lanka and one of the quieter surprises of a walk through Pettah. Its foundations were laid in 1749 and, after eight years of building, it was consecrated on 6 March 1757. It was built for the Dutch Reformed Church and today belongs to its successor, the Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka.
The church is built on a Greek cross plan in a sober Doric style. Its walls are about one and a half metres thick, made of kabok, a local clay ironstone, finished with a plaster of coral and lime. The central roof was originally brick-arched and covered with blue Bangor slate, and the interior can seat around 1,000 people. Inside, the furnishings are as interesting as the architecture: a solid state pew made for the Dutch governor, 17th and 18th-century chairs of ebony and calamander, a Dutch Reformed pulpit, and a baptismal font dating from 1667 on a carved tripod stand. The church is also reputed to have the oldest organ in Sri Lanka.
The granite floor is laid with engraved tombstones, including those of five Dutch governors; the last of them, Johan Gerard van Angelbeek, died in 1799. Many mural tablets line the walls, and reading the names and dates is a direct way into the history of the Dutch community in Colombo.
Wolvendaal is still a working church, so be respectful of services, dress modestly and ask before taking photographs inside. The church sits among Pettah's other landmarks, which include Kayman's Gate, the Old Town Hall, the Khan Clock Tower and the Colombo Dutch Museum, so it is easy to combine with a wider walk. Opening for visitors is less formal than at a museum, so be prepared to find doors closed at some times and plan the visit as part of a wider Pettah walk. Allow around 30 minutes inside.
The church stands in Pettah, a short walk from the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque and the market streets. Seeing both buildings on the same walk shows how Colombo's Dutch, Muslim, Tamil and Sinhalese communities have lived side by side for centuries.
Wolvendaal Church FAQs
When was Wolvendaal Church built?
Its foundations were laid in 1749 and it was consecrated on 6 March 1757.
Which church uses it today?
The Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka, formerly the Dutch Reformed Church.
What is special about the floor?
It is laid with engraved tombstones, including those of five Dutch governors.
What furniture survives?
A governor's state pew, ebony and calamander chairs, a Dutch pulpit and a baptismal font from 1667.
What is the church built from?
Kabok, a local clay ironstone, with coral and lime plaster, in walls about 1.5 metres thick.
How many people does it hold?
It seats around 1,000.
Is it always open?
It is a working church, so access can vary; visit as part of a wider Pettah walk.
What is nearby?
The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque and the Pettah markets.