Visit a monument emblematic of Sri Lanka's history: Independence Memorial Hall

The Portuguese occupation, the beginning of Sri Lankan colonisation

The Portuguese occupation of Sri Lanka began in 1505, when they established a trading post in Sri Lanka. King Vijayabahu VII was seduced by Portugal's military power and allowed them to build a fort to protect the goods they were exporting. Unfortunately, by 1593, the whole country was occupied. After a war against the colonists, the Sri Lankans were victorious in 1594. It was the first time in history that a Portuguese army had been defeated by the natives. The kingdom of Kandy became a major military power.

The Dutch occupation, the war against the Portuguese

Holland was in conflict with Portugal. After a stopover in Trincomalee, the Dutch allied themselves with the King of Kandy to defeat their common enemy: the Portuguese army. In 1658, the Dutch had defeated the Portuguese and found themselves in turn masters of the whole island, except for the Kingdom of Kandy. It was the English who drove the Dutch to flee Sri Lanka in the late 1700s.

More than 20 years of British occupation

It took the British more than 20 years to subdue the country. From then on, they built roads, large agricultural areas and various infrastructures, thanks to compulsory labour, which they imposed on the Sri Lankans.

The end of British rule was marked by legislative elections in 1948. An entirely local government was restored, and the Independence Memorial was built on the same spot where the official ceremony for the country's autonomy was held in 1948. The statue of the Prime Minister, the father of the nation Don Stephen Senanayake, stands in front of the memorial.