Heritage

Historic Maradana Technical College Building (මරදාන කාර්මික විද්‍යාල ගොඩනැගිල්ල)

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Maradana Technical College in 1907—enhanced from a old picture postcard

The colonial government established the Government Technical College in 1893, housed in a modest building that had once been a storage house for coffee near Colombo Fort. This was the first organized attempt to provide technical education to the youth of Ceylon, addressing what had long been seen as a pressing need.

Yet, the college was not conceived as an institution of higher learning. Rather, it functioned as a feeder school for subordinate positions within government departments, offering a very elementary form of technical training (Fernando, 1978, p. 26). By 1896, only ten pupils were enrolled in civil and mechanical engineering. The courses initially failed to attract students, as they offered no clear career opportunities. In 1897, however, the institution was formally recognized as a training ground for recruits to key technical departments such as the Public Works, Survey, Railway, and Telegraph services. By 1903, student numbers had risen significantly to 254 (G. Mendis, 1944, p. 105).

In 1905, the institution was renamed the Ceylon Technical College (Udagedara, 2025, p. 60). Two years earlier, in 1903, a new building had been constructed for the college at a cost of LKR 150,000, following the flattening of a small hill near the Colombo Terminus Station, a now-retired station near Maradana.

Architectural Features

The new building was a striking example of Victorian-era architecture, with possible Indo-Saracenic and Colonial influences. Symmetry, a hallmark of formal architectural design, defined the overall structure. At its center rose a magnificent tower with a cupola above it at the main entrance. With its tiered design and arched openings, the tower provided a strong vertical emphasis and visual grandeur to the building.

The facade, constructed from deep red brick, was richly detailed and offset by lighter stone and stucco used for decorative elements, window surrounds, and quoins. A projecting portico at the main entrance, above the main staircase supported by columns or pilasters, highlighted the entrance.

Remarkably, the facade of the building has remained unchanged since its completion, with the central dome still intact, preserving its historic architectural character.

References

Bingham, P. M. (1923). History of the Public Works Department, Ceylon, 1796 to 1913: Vol. III–III. H. R. Cottle, Government Printer of Ceylon.
Fernando, T. (1978). Employment Opportunities in the Medical and Technical Departments, 1910-1930. The Ceylon Journal of Historical and Social Studies, VI (July-December 1976)(2), 19–33.
Manathunga, S. B. (2020). කොළඹ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය: පෞරාණික ස්ථාන හා ස්මාරක (3rd ed.). Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka. (Original work published 2005)
Mendis, G. (1944). Ceylon under the British. The Colombo Apothecaries Co. Ltd.
Udagedara, P. (2025). A Brief Survey of the Evolution of Visual Art Education in Ceylon, c. 1840-1950. The Ceylon Journal, 2(1), 56–65.
Welandawe, H., & Weerasinghe, J. (2016). Urban Heritage in the WRMPP. (unpublished)

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Route from Colombo Fort to Historic Maradana Technical College Building
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