Mount Lavinia is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is inside the administration boundary of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council. The area is a mostly residential suburb, known as Colombo's beach retreat it is famed for its "Golden Mile" of beaches, and has long been a hot spot for tourism and nightlife. The area's name arose when the second Governor of Ceylon, Sir Thomas Maitland, acquired land at "Galkissa" (Mount Lavinia) and decided in 1806 to construct a personal residence there. Maitland fell in love with Lovina Aponsuwa, a local mestizo dancer, and continued a romantic affair with her until he was recalled to England in 1811. The Governor's mansion, which he named "Mount Lavinia House" is now the Mount Lavinia Hotel and the village that surrounded the building has subsequently developed into a bustling area, taking its name from the Governor's mistress, Lovina
The two-storey colonnaded building on Prince Street, Pettah (Colombo 11) which houses this museum was constructed during the Dutch occupation of Colombo (1656 - 1796) and was the formal residence of the Governor of Dutch Ceylon Thomas van Rhee (1634 - 1701) during his term of office from 1692 to 1697. The building has been used for many different purposes over the years. It was a teacher-training college and an institute for the instruction of clergymen between 1696 and 1796. It was also used as a hospital. It became a barracks in the second half of the 1800s and 1900 it was used as a police training school, set up by the British. In 1932 it was converted to the Pettah Post Office. In 1971 following heavy monsoon rains one of the exterior walls collapsed and the building was abandoned. Following protests by the Royal Asiatic Society and the Dutch Burgher Union against plans to demolish the building, in 1973 a committee was established with representatives from the Ceylon Tourist Board, the Department of Archaeology, the Netherlands Alumni Association of Lanka and the National Archives, to restore the building and establish a museum covering the Dutch colonial period
Kande Vihara, also known as the Mountain Temple, is a significant Buddhist temple situated in the Kalutara District of Sri Lanka. It stands atop a hill near Aluthgama town. Founded in 1734 by Karapagala Dewamitta Thero, the temple has undergone renovations over the years, becoming a major Buddhist shrine in the country. Notably, it houses a 48-meter-tall Samadhi Buddha statue, one of the tallest sitting Buddha statues globally. The temple complex includes a stupa, Bodhi tree, relic chamber, image house, and other devalas. The ancient Bodhi tree here is believed to be over 300 years old.
Baptism Church Hanwella is one of the oldest churches in Colombo dating back to 1820 and consider as the first ever baptism Church Sri Lanka had. Nestled in Hanwella, Colombo the Hanwella church has the reputation of conducting the baptism at that time that seemed to embrace the Lord.
