Giragama Walawwa — Attraction in Central Province

On the intersection of the Colombo Street and the Yatinuwara Veediya (B519) in the Kandy city lies the Giragama Walawwa, a mansion build in 1814 and considered as the oldest walawwa building within the Kandy.

During the Kandyan era, Walawwas’ were the residences of the top officials of the kingdom, and only these residences consisted of clay floors, roof tiles and painted walls. It was only with special permission from the king that a person could tile their roofs and paint their houses. All other citizens lived in houses built with wattle and daub and the roofs were either hay or coconut leaves.

Giragama Walawwa or the Giragama Nilame is not well known like the names of Ahelapola, Pilimathalawe or Molligoda Nilames but Giragama Ralahami has been the chief Disawe on the Satara Korale in 1714. In 1818 he was captured by the British for conspiring the overthrow the British and sent to Colombo where he died in captivity. Another decedent, called Giragama Nilame became the Basnayake Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of Tooth Relic) between 1882 to 1897. He too has used this walawwa as his official residence.

According to a British town plan of 1915, this building has been identified as H.A.H. Habbu Lebbe building. By this time this walawwa has been sold by a daughter of the Giragama Nilame to a muslim merchant and migrated from the country. The walawwa has been converted to a commercial establishment by 1915.

In the central part of the building is a wooden tower, which is unique to this building and can not be found in other Walawwas throughout the country. Archaeologists believe that tower could be some kind of a “watch tower” or a “security tower” used by the early residents. Giragama Walawwa was declared as a protected archaeological monument in 2005 and had been neglected and in a state of despair by the turn of century. Finally in 2014, restoration of the building started and was...

In the central part of the building is a wooden tower, which is unique to the building and can not be found in other Walawwas throughout the country. Archaeologists believe that tower could be some kind of a "watch tower or a "security tower" used by the early residents. The building has been formally recognised by the government as an archaeological protected monument.

In 2014 the Kandy Municipal Council together with the Central Cultural Fund and the Urban Redevelopment Authority resolved to restore the building, at an estimated cost of Rs 7.2 million.The works were completed in September 2015 at a total cost of Rs 15.08 million and officially opened...

when i was studding in Kandy i pass this walawwa Building everyday.At that time it was a retail store. few years later archeological department has been nominated as the one of the historical place in Kandy.now a days it has been construct and manage by Archeological department. still retailers shops...