Visit St. Wolvendaal Church in Colombo

Experience the eeriness of St. Wolvendaal Church and peer into the soul of Sri Lanka

Quick Information

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Best time to visit
Nov - Feb
Ideal Duration
3-4 Days
Visa
On Arrival
Starting from
Rs. 1,980
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Visit St. Wolvendaal Church

One of the best Protestant Churches in Colombo is Wolvendaal Church.

The best thing about this Church is its ambiance. Unlike other churches that exude a religious sparkle, St. Wolvendaal is actually eerie. With a surprisingly somber atmosphere and a sense of history, it absolutely makes sense to visit St. Wolvendaal Church. The church was built in 1749 by the Dutch in Pettah, Colombo and has a typical old building ambiance to it. It is not musty, by any means, but it is easy to see that it has endured ages in history. Overlooking the church premises is a graveyard full of tombs dating back to 1750.

Culture and Architecture

Pettah is a busy place. In sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of daily life lies the church. It is a great idea to visit St. Wolvendaal Church just to see the contrast firsthand. Decorated with beautiful Dutch murals, this church has a certain gravity. Despite its age-worn appearance and eerie ambiance, St Wolvendaal’s Church is not abandoned. Every Sunday it hosts a lively service that brings people together. Visit St. Wolvendaal Church on a Sunday to see how spiritual the place truly is. Apart from this marriage ceremonies, baptisms, name day celebrations, and funeral services all take place here.

Folklore and History

All the buzz and people notwithstanding, the church retains a certain sobriety and composure. Another remarkable feature that makes it absolutely worthwhile to visit St. Wolvendaal Church is its high windows and doors. In fact, thinking of just windows and doors makes it sound very bland. These are simply enormous windows and doors built in an old fashion that almost touch the ceiling from the ground up. Built in a place that was once known as ‘Wolf’s Dale’, St. Wolvendaal Church is named after the same and is now among one of the most frequented hotspots in Colombo. The pulpit, choir, altar, and pews are all carved out of wood and paint an exquisite picture.

Visit St. Wolvendaal Church to experience the taste of Dutch Colonial architecture and history. There are numerous relics of colonial history preserved within St. Wolvendaal Church. The fact that this place has not seen any restorative work lends a ring of authenticity to the historical place. From the original box locks and escutcheon on the doors to English armchairs and early Dutch chairs, this church preserves time itself. There is even a nineteenth-century pipe organ for open viewing. Possibly one of the oldest buildings in Colombo, its unique architecture and historical significance invites history buffs all over the world to visit St. Wolvendaal Church. Well worth the visit, this church is one of the top places to visit in Colombo.

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Deepak's 5 days trip to Colombo

Very good experience with booking and Tour operator. Guide DJ was also very Good.

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Bhavana's 6 days trip to Colombo

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Aggarwal's 6 days trip to Colombo

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Rishika's 7 days trip to Colombo

Great job done by Steeple Tours for our Sri Lanka itinerary. The trip was completely customized and as per our convenience. The guide was great and kept us informed. We had a lovely vacation.

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Padhu's 7 days trip to Colombo

Hi, We sincerely appreciate the wonderful arrangements your team made for our recent trip to Sri Lanka. Overall, it was a memorable experience, and we’re grateful for your efforts in showcasing this beautiful country—clean, green, and filled with warm, responsible people. The emphasis on road safety and the peaceful atmosphere added to our enjoyment. Highlights: The itinerary was well-curated, and most accommodations/transfers were seamless. Your team’s hospitality and attention to detail in key locations were exceptional. Constructive Feedback for Improvement: Hotel Concerns (3rd Stay): The remote location and lack of basic amenities at the third hotel made our family uncomfortable, especially as we were the only guests. A refund for this stay would be greatly appreciated. Transparency in Costs: Entry fees at temples/private attractions were unexpected. Clarifying these in advance or including them in the package would help future travelers. Similarly, sharing day-wise programs with detailed cost breakdowns (e.g., train tickets) would improve planning. Itinerary Communication: Providing a more detailed schedule (e.g., attraction entry times, fee lists) would enhance the experience. Request: Given the issues with the third hotel and unused train tickets, we kindly ask for a refund or credit for these. This would reflect your commitment to customer satisfaction. Also as agreed by your team return off $80 towards train arrangement which was cancelled due to local strike. Please note we lost $200 during the trip which was unexpected. Thank you again for the beautiful moments and your responsiveness throughout. We’d love to recommend your services with these refinements in place. Special thanks to Madhu who supported us through the tour Thanks to Aruna for safe driving Best regards, Padmanabhan

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Ashish's 8 days trip to Colombo

Had a great experience touring Sri Lanka thanks to Madhu for managing this well. And Roshan for driving us around. There were some confusion about the final payment in cash vs. online hope they would have communicated well on this. Roshan managed our expectations well and ensured our needs are taken care.

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I am from India tour to Srilanka CNB is the Superb Travel agent, they provided excellent hotels in beautiful locations, very good food and good Driver. Excellent cooperation. Thanks to Travel Triangle. Srilanka trip was Ramayana Circuit and Honeymoon trip.

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Our itinerary was perfectly customized to our preferences, thanks to Mr. Suna who was always prompt, polite, and helpful in addressing all our queries. The hotels were clean and spacious, except for one in Bentota, which was a bit dirty and noisy. The highlight of our trip was our chauffeur, Mr. Sumith. As a group of three girls, we felt completely safe and comfortable throughout the 7-day journey. He wasn’t just a driver—he became a friend and guide, always ready to solve any problem and suggest the best places to visit (or skip). His kindness and friendly nature truly made our trip special. We left Sri Lanka with beautiful memories and heavy hearts—the hardest goodbye was definitely to Mr. Sumith. This trip was an unforgettable experience, and we’re so grateful for the amazing hospitality.

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Holsrio's 4 days trip to Colombo

Suna was very good and he answered all our questions with patience and even went out of the way to customize the package as per our requirements. Alika was also a very good driver and the vehicle was also very clean. The Ocean hotel in cmb was very good. Disappointed with the villa in Mirissa .Not upto the mark.. only pool and breakfast was good . Overall a very good trip made memorable by Suna and Akila. Best place was secret beach in Mirissa

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Yes, cover your knees and shoulders while visiting this Protestant church.

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