NEGOMBO – SRI LANKA A Perfect Chillaxing Location for All – By Leelananda Ihalagamage
Negombo is often called “Little Rome” in view of the large number of churches in the city. It is basically a Catholic territory and has been influenced greatly by the people of Christian faith from the time it was occupied by the Portuguese. As a tourist spot, Negombo has much to offer and is a perfect place to spend your vacation. The calm and serene environment in Negombo along with its charming and picturesque views of the ocean and the beaches tend to this place a special unique, charm and glory of its own.
Negombo is located approximately 40 km north of the commercial capital of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon. The major beach resort in the West Coast is Negombo. The wide sandy beaches and the safe sea are main attractions of Negombo and it is perfectly located within 7 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka.
Negombo has a small port, and its economy is mainly based on tourism and its centuries-old fishing industry. It is a traditional fishing town in Sri Lanka and no wonder the town is a gourmet food lover’s paradise with seafood available in plenty. Negombo also produces spices, ceramics and brassware. The town has a majority of Roman Catholics along with Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims while it has been given the name “Little Rome” due to the highly ornate Portuguese-era Roman Catholic churches found within the township.
Negombo is also situated facing a lagoon and there is a 100 km canal running through the city. This canal is used today for tourism and offers an unparalleled view of the city and inland country from a unique perspective. Remains of colonization include the Dutch Fort built in 1672, as well as centuries-old Portuguese and Dutch houses, administrative buildings and churches. Negombo is also home to the country’s second-largest fish market, “the Lellama”, at the north end of the town’s lagoon.
St. Mary’s Church in Negombo
The coastal town of Negombo is an area in Sri Lanka that dominated heavily by the Christian Faith and one of the town’s most important structures is St. Mary’s Church. This holy building is lavish and grand in nature, standing tall amidst of other structures in the town. The church consists of three main levels which are immediately apparent when approaching the structure from the front.
Neoclassical (Fine Art, Literature, Music and Architecture) is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-17th century. In its purest form, it is a style principally derived from the architecture of classical antiquity, the Vitruvian principles, and the work of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio.
In form, neoclassical architecture emphasizes the wall rather than chiaroscuro (effect of light and shadow) and maintains separate identities to each of its parts. The style is manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style (Soft colours and curvy lines) of naturalistic ornament and in its architectural formulae as an outgrowth of some classicizing features of the Late Baroque (clear details and dramatic) architectural tradition.
The church was built in neoclassicism style with columns and plain walls. Its ceilings are painted with alabaster images of many saints. The walls at the upper level are fixed with sculptures of religious saints.
Other Famous Churches
In Negombo town is the Grand Street Church, also adorned with ceiling paintings and statues. Among other places to explore around Negombo is Talahena St. Barbara Church, East of Negombo. This Church, dedicated to St. Barbara, was built in 1889 and enshrined here is a statue of Saint Fatima brought by Portuguese to Talahena. This Church is believed to have miraculous healing powers. Bolawalana St. Philip Neri Church, St. Stephen’s Church, Katuwapitiya Church, Grand Street Church, St. Sebastian Church and St. Anne’s Church are some of other holy sites and small Christ and Maria images found at street corners, worth visiting while exploring the “Little Rome of Sri Lanka” – Negombo.
Angurukaramulla Temple
Angurukaramulla Temple is a glorious temple in Negombo. Famous for its majestic dragon entrance and epic Buddha Statue, this is a beautiful place to wander around if you love historical culture and ancient architecture.
Admire the 6 meter (19.5 ft) tall Buddha Statue at Angurukaramulla Temple, before entering to see colourful paintings and sculptures. At the very entrance, you will see a sculpture of dragon, which protects the temple from evil spirits. Step inside and you will find yourself surrounded by ancient murals, paintings and colourfully adorned deities, especially on the ceiling of the shrine room. The temple tells the stories of the queens and kings who used to rule the country and as well as depicting Buddha’s journey to enlightenment.
Right next to the temple there is a stupa (dagoba). The interior of the stupa is decorated with murals and wonderful carvings on the walls. There is a beautiful stupa inside the stupa making it a unique feature of the premises.
Fishing Village – Lellama
One of those fascinating sites in Negombo is the local fish market called Lellama, which means the place of Bargain.
This city is a fantastic fishing village that originated and still being the most important part of the day to-day life of the local community. Located on the outskirts of the town, tourists can spend a quiet evening walking through the fishing village and gaining an insight on how the villagers make their living.
The fisherman rely on traditional knowledge of the seasons for their livelihood, using outrigger canoes carved out of tree trunks and nylon nets to bring in modest catches from September through April.
The fish auction in Lellama is the island’s biggest auction, where traditional fishermen in Negombo catching fish on lagoon or beach. At the auction you can buy Lobsters, Crabs and Prawns in bulk and a variety of large fish as well. This is the country’s second largest fish market. There are daily fish auctions, which give tourists an opportunity to meet the area’s eye-catching fishermen.
Negombo Beaches
The Negombo beaches and Negombo Beach Park are main reasons for tourists to visit this city. The sandy beaches and beautiful resorts on the shore make your visit to this city fantastic. These beaches also offer several water sports for adventure lovers. Once you are at the Negombo beach, you will surely not want to leave this embracing city.
Negombo Lagoon
The Lagoon in Negombo is one of the major tourist attractions, which is located 40 km north from Colombo. It forms a part of the Negombo lagoon coastal wetland and Muthurajawela marshland. The water depth is about 2 meters and has a narrow opening to the sea.
Negombo Lagoon is rich in biodiversity, both on land and water, characterized by high biodiversity in its flora and fauna. The mangrove community in the lagoon is the most diverse of all mangrove communities in the west coast of Sri Lanka. The number of species of plants and animals in the lagoon, mangroves, sea grasses and mudflats, it is second to none. Twenty nine plant species have been collected from the mangrove community of Negombo Lagoon of which 18 are true mangroves and 11 are mangrove associates. There are four species of sea-grasses distributed in the shallow areas of the lagoon. One hundred and forty species of fish, 12 species of prawns, 19 species of crabs, 22 species of mollusks, 9 species of polychaetes and numerous species from other kinds have been reported from Negombo Lagoon.
Fish, prawns and crabs are the main resources of the lagoon. Many of these species migrate to the lagoon, as it provides a safe and a suitable habitat and a source of food and return to the sea when they are adults. The prawns and fish that go back to the sea, replenish two important fishing grounds located 5 – 10 km north and south of the Negombo Lagoon mouth.
As Negombo Lagoon – Muthurajawela ecosystem is located close to Katunayake and Colombo, it has significant eco-tourism value, which needs to be further developed. It could be made as popular as Yala for the tourists who are visiting Sri Lanka for a short period.
The boat trip could take the tourists to the Dutch Fort and the small church there, and they could be entertained with a brief history of Negombo, with its importance in the pre-colonial period.
Dutch Clock Tower
Apart from the city’s golden beaches, one of the other places to visit in Negombo is the Dutch Clock Tower. The Dutch Clock Tower is located on top of a small hill. Tourists have to pass the prison entrance to reach the tower. A visit to the clock tower will take you through a journey back to the age of discovery.
Old Town
In Negombo “Old Town” many of the houses are still in good condition because of the careful maintenance of landlords. A walk through the streets gives an experience of colonial times. You can find a cafe in an old house with European food menus and with finest coffee in town, which also is an excellent rendezvous to spend time with a book. The House is more like a little museum, which gives you an expression of a yesteryear colonial mansion.
Negombo in December
Christianity took hold in Sri Lanka during the periods of European occupation with Catholicism having the most followers. Christmas is enthusiastically celebrated in Negombo which has a particularly large Christian population. Streets and buildings are decorated with lights in early December.
Shops and malls entice shoppers with special sales in the days leading up to the holidays and you can hear Christmas carols and see nativity plays at a number of venues around the town.
Sea Food Lovers
Negombo is the perfect place for all the seafood lovers. Negombo Overview recommends you to taste some of the lip-smacking seafood fare. Varieties of fresh seafood platters and delectable spicy fish items are available in most of the local restaurants. The Fish and Lobster Restaurant is one among the many eateries where you can relish savoury dishes.
Pix by Leelananda Ihalagamage
