The Clock Tower in the center

The Piliyandala Clock Tower is located in the center of Piliyandala. For travelers who want to understand a place through its specific building history, it offers a precise local point of reference. Two precisely dated milestones make its origins easy to follow; its height and width provide a measurable scale for the structure. It is also depicted in the official logo of the Kesbewa Urban Council. This makes it possible to view the tower from several angles: its location, chronology, proportions, and official depiction.

Two dates in its construction history

On September 11, 1952, Minister C. W. W. Kannangara laid the foundation stone for the Piliyandala Clock Tower. Simon Samarakoon of Wewala erected the tower on April 30, 1953. The dates mark different stages: seven months and 19 days elapsed between the laying of the foundation stone and the tower’s erection. The sequence distinguishes the start from the completion: 1952 marks the laying of the foundation stone, while 1953 marks the erection. This creates a short, clearly dated chronology in which each step has its own place.

The place references are also distinct. Simon Samarakoon came from Wewala; the tower itself stands in the center of Piliyandala. Wewala is therefore associated with the builder, and Piliyandala with the structure’s location. This distinction helps place the person and the site geographically without treating the two place names as interchangeable.

Dimensions and official depiction

The Piliyandala Clock Tower is 23.8 meters tall and 4.9 meters wide. In proportion, its height is just under five times its width. These proportions give a concrete sense of its scale and make the two measurements easier to understand together. They answer a different question from its central location: the location identifies its position within Piliyandala, while its height and width describe the structure’s size. If you are interested in built forms, this comparison offers a specific point of reference rather than a general judgment of size.

The Piliyandala Clock Tower is depicted in the official logo of the Kesbewa Urban Council. This depiction adds a cultural perspective to its construction history. Unlike the dates, which concern the laying of the foundation stone and the tower’s erection, the logo concerns the structure’s image in an official emblem. For travelers interested in local buildings and their official imagery, this offers a distinct point of interest. Alongside the location and origins, the dimensions and logo depiction provide different perspectives on the tower.

A cultural reference point for your travel decision

If you are considering Piliyandala as a travel destination, this focus can help you decide whether local building history is of interest to you. The Clock Tower combines a precisely identified location with a dated history and an official depiction; its dimensions add a concrete comparison of scale to this cultural perspective. This makes it possible to explore the subject through a single, specifically named structure. You can consider whether building history, proportions, and official imagery are the kinds of cultural points of interest you look for when deciding where to travel.

Discover more destinations: Athurugiriya, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Jambugasmulla, Colombo, Hekitta, Laksapatiya, Avissawella, Koswatta.

Go to the broader travel guide: Colombo.