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Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe, the last king of the Kandyan Kingdom, was captured by the British on February 18, 1815, at Medamahanuwara. His own officials, including Eheylapola Maha Adhikaram—one of the key conspirators who aided the British—betrayed him, facilitating the fall of Kandy.
On March 6, 1815, the king, along with his family and close relatives, was brought to Colombo. Historical accounts suggest that he was held near Galle Face Green until January 24, 1816, nearly a year before being deported to Vellore, India.
The structure widely believed to be his holding cell is located at the intersection of Bank of Ceylon Mawatha and Janadhipathi Mawatha, within the Ceylinco Building’s car park but visible from the road. Painted in bright yellow and orange, this small building measures approximately 8×5 feet, with walls two feet thick. Its roof is designed with a distinct fish-scale pattern.
Outside the structure, two plaques commemorate the capture of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe and describe the site’s historical significance. Inside, the walls are adorned with paintings, including depictions of the king and his queen, Venkata Rengammal.
Despite its widespread acceptance as the king’s holding cell, many historians question this claim. Contemporary British records indicate that the deposed king was treated with a degree of respect and housed in a spacious residence rather than a confined cell. Further evidence suggests that after his departure, British authorities corresponded about transferring the house used for his accommodation to another party.
Research published by Chryshane Mendis (2020) revealed that the Dutch house where King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was once held stood on the land now occupied by the Ceylinco Building. At the time, a square guardhouse stood at the Echelon Barracks in Echelon Square, precisely at this location. However, when Ceylinco acquired the land for its building project, the guardhouse fell within their property.
Between 1955 and 1962, when Ceylinco House was constructed, the original guardhouse was completely demolished. In its place, a peculiar circular structure with a dome-shaped roof resembling fish scales was built. How this structure came to be known as the “prison cell” of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe remains a mystery.
Brohier, in his book Changing Face of Colombo (1984), noted that the structure was widely referred to as the king’s prison cell. Over time, this belief became so ingrained that even academics accepted it, leading to its designation as a protected archaeological monument.
Today, it bears an official Department of Archaeology description along with a granite inscription affirming its supposed historical significance. This case serves as a remarkable example of how history can be reshaped or even invented within just a few decades.
References
- Mendis, C. (2020). The last King’s prison cell in Colombo: truth versus fiction. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, New Series-65(1), 65–80.
Also See
Map of Prison Cell of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe
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Travel Directions to the Prison Cell of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe
| Route from Galle Face Roundabout to Prison Cell of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe |
| Distance : 1.5 km Travel time :10 minutes Driving directions : see on Google map |
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