The Richmond Castle in Kalutara

The town of Kalutara, located on the way towards the Southern Province, is home to numerous attractions, both religious, such as the Kalutara Bodhiya, and historic, such as the Richmond Castle, thereby making it a beloved tourist hotspot, catered to by resorts such as Anantara Kalutara Resort among others. The latter attraction, the Richmond Castle, has great appeal among visitors to the city. Similar to the romantic yet tragic history of the Taj Mahal in the Indian State of Agra, the tragic history of the famous Richmond Castle in the district of Kalutara in Sri Lanka spurns many tourists and locals to visit its gardens and explore its architectural beauty. It is unsurprising that it is one of the most iconic places to visit in Kalutara, even now.

Rising majestically next to the main road, the mansion was built during the early 20th century by Padikara Mudali Nanayakkara Rajawasala Appuhamilage Don Arthur de Silva Wijesinghe Siriwardena and retains a segment of its original allure even one hundred years later. Built for the purpose of hosting his wedding, the Richmond Castle is no longer a symbol of love, but of heartbreak, as the marriage that was entered into with such pomp and splendour within the castle grounds, came apart. While many speculations regarding the exact reason are abound, a popularly believed rumour is that it did not succeed due to the absence of children. Subsequent to the separation from his wife, the Mudaliyar is believed to have lived in the Queen’s Hotel in Kandy until his untimely death at the age of 59 and the Castle was entrusted into the care of the Public Trustee Department.

At present, the Castle hosts a school for underprivileged children, and can be visited by tourists and locals who invariably lapse into creatively imagining the pomp and grandeur the Castle walls must have witnessed over half a century ago.

Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world.

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