Transport in Sri Lanka is based on its road network, which is centred on the country's commercial capital Colombo. A rail network handles a portion of Sri Lanka's transport needs. There are navigable waterways, harbours and three international airports: in Katunayake, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Colombo, in Hambantota, and in Jaffna.
Colombo is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, the Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the Municipality. It is the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka, and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is itself within the urban/suburban area of Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life, colonial buildings and monuments.
Kandy is a major city in located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy from 1469 to 1818, under the Kingdom of Kandy. The city is situated in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Historically the local Buddhist rulers resisted Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial expansion and occupation.
Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology is a private university located in Malabe and Colombo, Sri Lanka. It specialises in various fields like technology and management.
Spencer Plaza is a shopping mall located on Anna Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and is one of the modern landmarks of the city. Originally built during the period of the British Raj and reconstructed in 1985 on the site of the original Spencer's department store, it is the oldest shopping mall in India and was one of the biggest shopping malls in South Asia when it was built. It is one of the earliest Grade A commercial projects of the city, which were developed in the second half of the 1990s. As of March 2010, it is the 11th largest mall in the country, with a gross leasable (retail) area of 530,000 sq ft.
The National Institute of Business Management also known as NIBM, is a public business school based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The architecture of ancient Sri Lanka displays a rich diversity, varying in form and architectural style from the Anuradhapura Kingdom through the Kingdom of Kandy (1469–1815). Sinhalese architecture also displays many ancient North Indian influences. Buddhism had a significant influence on Sri Lankan architecture after it was introduced to the island in the 3rd century BC, and ancient Sri Lankan architecture was mainly religious, with more than 25 styles of Buddhist monasteries. Significant buildings include the stupas of Jetavanaramaya and Ruwanvelisaya in the Anuradhapura kingdom and further in the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. The palace of Sigiriya is considered a masterpiece of ancient architecture and ingenuity, and the fortress in Yapahuwa and the Temple of the tooth in Kandy are also notable for their architectural qualities. Ancient Sri Lankan architecture is also significant to sustainability, notably Sigiriya which was designed as an environmentally friendly structure.
Odel is a public retail company, the first in Sri Lanka. Starting out as a single company focusing on the retail garment trade, Odel developed over the years to become the first department store in the country.
The World Trade Center is a 152-metre-tall (499 ft) twin building in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The 39-storey towers are built over a 4-storey retail podium, and thus each tower has a total floor count of 43. WTCC is owned and managed by Overseas Realty Ceylon PLC (ORCPLC).
The former Colombo General Post Office, at 17 Janadhipathi Mawatha, Colombo Fort, was the headquarters of the Sri Lanka Post and the office of the Postmaster General for over one hundred years, from 1895 until 2000.
Cargills (Ceylon) PLC is a Sri Lankan consumer company which is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. It is a market leader in the Modern Retail (supermarkets), FMCG, and Restaurants industries and also has a presence in the Banking, Real Estate, and Cinema sectors. The controlling interest in the company is held by C T Holdings PLC.
The architecture of Sri Lanka displays a rich variety of architectural forms and styles. Shaivism has had a significant influence on early Sri Lankan architecture, during the reign of King Ravana, then Buddhism has also had a significant influence on Sri Lankan architecture, since it was introduced to the island in the 3rd century BCE.
Port City Colombo, is a multi-services special economic zone located in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which is currently under construction on reclaimed land adjacent to the Galle Face Green. The land reclamation work had been completed as of January 2019. In 2017, the cost was slated to be US$ 15 billion. Port City Colombo is a multi-billion-dollar FDI-funded Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Kandy railway station is a major railway station in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways and is the primary railway station in Kandy and one of the most significant in the central hills. The station sits on a branch of the Main Line, leading to the Matale Line.
Kandyan Art Association is an association formed in 1882 to revitalise traditional Kandyan arts and crafts and support the traditional craftsmen by providing them a sales outlet.
Walker Sons and Company was an engineering firm established in Kandy in 1854 by a Scottish engineer, John Walker, as John Walker and Co. It was the seventh oldest operating company in Sri Lanka. Today, the name operates as an investment holding company under the umbrella of the MTD Walkers group, but ceased operations in its original form in the 1980s.
Pekada, or pekadaya, are the decorative wooden pillar heads/brackets at the top of a stone or wooden column, known as kapa, supporting a beam or dandu. It is a unique feature of Kandyan architecture.
Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams is the first integrated resort in Sri Lanka and the largest private investment in the country. Sri Lankan-British architect, Cecil Balmond designed the resort while Hyundai Engineering & Construction is the main contractor. The construction of the resort began in 2014. All the buildings in the resort topped off in May 2019. Even though the resort was originally planned to be completed by 2018, the project got delayed several times due to various reasons. John Keells started handing over keys to the suites apartments in August 2021. With handing over of residential and commercial units, revenue recognition started at Cinnamon Life. The remainder of the project is scheduled to be launched in a phased manner, in the second half of 2024. In April 2024, John Keells Holdings announced an agreement with Melco Resorts & Entertainment to operate the gaming facility of Cinnamon Life Resort. The resort will be rebranded as City of Dreams Sri Lanka as part of the agreement.
Panini Tennekoon was a renowned Sri Lankan architect. He spent most of his career as a public servant, working in the Public Works Department, serving as the country's chief architect, before running his own architectural practice, designing low-cost housing and investigating sustainable timber use in construction. He was a fellow of Sri Lankan Institute of Architects and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
