The modern temple and the dagaba, rebuilt on the ruins left by the Portuguese, have the traditional decoration of Buddhist shrines statues of the Buddha, mythological monsters (makaras), a fine moonstone and friezes of dancing dwarfs. Paintings on the walls marking from ancient times (Kandyan Period) portraying the Jataka stories and arrays of historical events connected to the origin, rise and progress of Buddhism in the country. Adjoining the temple is a very active modern monastery.

Permission can be obtained to visit the monastery, and its gives visitor an opportunity to see something of the religious life of Sri Lanka so it is a will to behave with due courtesy and respect.

The Port
It was only in the second half of the 19th century that the government of the colony undertook the major works necessary to transform the modest harbour of Colombo into a great modern port. Three breakwaters (1580 m, 800 m and 325 m) were built between 1875 and 1907, protecting an area of 2.5 sq. km, most of it over 8 m deep. To the north-east, between the northern entrance to the harbour and the Kelani, is the fishing quarter, with a mainly Catholic population.

At Present, the Port has undergone a significant cycles of expansion and transformation with the construction of two modern container terminals and installation of Cranes, Gantries and other staples of a contemporary container terminal. The Port of Colombo is gaining a reputation as one of most efficient and streamlined ports in South Asia.

The Fort and the Pettah
The original fort no longer exists, but the name of the Fort is still applied to the district, now the heart of the capital, which covers its old site a quadrangular area bounded by the harbour, the canal, Queen Street (now known as Janadhipathi Mawatha) and Chatham Street (named after William Pitt, second Earl of Chatham, who was Prime Minister at the time of the British occupation of Sri Lanka). In this area are the main government institutions of the Republic the Senate, the residence of the President and the old Parliament building, all in Queen Street and it is also the business and shopping district, with the large banks, the General Post Office, department stores and smaller shops, and hotels of international standing.