President's Pavilion

President's Pavilion is an official residence of the President of Sri Lanka, located in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This was formerly the Governor's Pavilion until 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic. It is located close to the sacred Temple of the Tooth in the centre of the city of Kandy at the head of Pavilion Street. Although an official residence, it is used rarely for official functions, most notably during the Esala Perahera when at its conclusion the perahera sandeshaya is presented.

President's Pavilion
The President's Pavilion in 2016
Former namesKing's/Queen's Pavillion
General information
Architectural styleItalianate architecture
Town or cityKandy
CountrySri Lanka
Current tenantsPresident of Sri Lanka
Construction started1827
Completed1833
OwnerGovernment of Sri Lanka
Technical details
Floor count2
Design and construction
ArchitectLieutenant colonel Brown
Architecture firmCorps of Royal Engineers

History

After the British gained control of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815 by the Kandyan Convention it governed the former Kandyan Kingdom as a protectorate. However following the Uva Rebellion, three years later in which Kandy was captured by the rebels, the British moved to combine both parts of the island under a central administration. However, Kandy remained an important city second only to the capital Colombo.

Therefore a European-style palace was constructed in the late 18th century for the use of the British Governor of Ceylon during his visits to the city. This was used for hosting Royal visits to Kandy, most notably that of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1875.

In 1944, during the Second World War, the South East Asia Command of the allies was moved to Kandy, where it remained till the end of the war. Admiral Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of the South East Asia Command, took up residence at the Governor's Pavilion till the end of the war.

Following independence in 1948 the house became the official residence of the Governor General of Ceylon in Kandy. It was formally renamed the President’s Pavilion in 1972 after Sri Lanka became a republic. William Gopallawa a native of Kandy was the last Governor-General and first President of Sri Lanka to reside at the house.

Royal Visits
  • During the tenure of Governor Sir William Gregory, prince Augustus and Sax-Weimer (In-laws of the Brazillian Emperor) visited Ceylon and were entertained at the King's Pavillion.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.