Khan Memorial Clock Tower of Colombo (කොටුව ඛාන් ඔරලෝසු කනුව)

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Colombo is home to three historic clock towers, including the Khan Memorial Clock Tower at the entrance to the Pettah Market, the Koch Memorial Clock Tower on Kynsey Road, and the Old Lighthouse Clock Tower. Among them, the Khan Clock Tower stands as a prominent landmark welcoming visitors to the bustling heart of the city.

Located at the start of Main Street, where it intersects with Sir Baron Jayathilaka Mawatha, Malwatta Road, and Abdul Carder Road, the tower was built in 1923 by the Parsi family of Framjee Bhikhajee Khan at a cost of LKR 17,113. This influential family, originally from Bombay, India, also owned the Colombo Oil Mills and several other enterprises in then-Ceylon (K. T. Silva, 2017).

The clock tower once featured a working water fountain that served the daily needs of some people in Pettah, though it is no longer functional. A plaque on the tower bears the inscription:

“This clock tower and fountain was erected to the memory of Framjee Bhikhajee Khan by his sons Bhikhajee and Munchershaw Framjee Khan as a token of affectionate gratitude and dedicated through the Municipal Council to the citizens of Colombo on the fourth day of January 1923, the 45th anniversary of his death.”

The Tower is roughly four stories high and is situated on a landscaped roundabout that marks the entrance to the famous Pettah market.

Khan Clock Tower of Colombo in the early 20th century
Image source: threeblindmen.photoshelter.com

References

Kaluarachchi, S. (2004). කොළඹ පුරාණය (Ancient Colombo). Sooriya Publishers.
Silva, K. T. (2017). The Parsis of Sri Lanka. In People of Sri Lanka (pp. 357–364). Ministry of National Coexistence, Dialogue and Official Languages.

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Map of Khan Clock Tower of Colombo

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Travel Directions to Khan Clock Tower of Colombo

Route from Galle Face Roundabout to Khan Clock Tower of Colombo

Distance : 2.6 km
Travel time :15 minutes
Driving directions : see on google map

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References

Also See

Map of Khan Clock Tower of Colombo

Travel Directions to Khan Clock Tower of Colombo

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