Hello my loving Architecture+Design community lovers,
What's up Hivers? I hope you are enjoying very well this weekend very nicely. Kicking off another beautiful weekend, I toured the area where my secondary school was located to explore the architectural features of some of the charming buildings around. In fact, in every visit we can find unique architectural elements around us that we can absorb. Many of the buildings that were created during the Dutch colonial era were created using Dutch architecture and I also met some new buildings that were not seen at that time. Ever since I joined this beautiful community, I have had the opportunity to read a variety of important architectural content of educational value. It can be mentioned as a fortune I got. It was possible to see places related to the architecture of each country around the world. Many places in Sri Lanka could be exposed through this platform, and I hope to cover Templers Road in Galle city with this content.
On Galle Templers Road is the Sacred Heart Convent School, the sister school of the boys' school I attended. Although this school was created when Sri Lanka was colonized by the British, Dutch architectural elements are commonly seen. However, history says that it was run as a Catholic school at that time, and education was conducted in English. Nowadays, female students of all nationalities have the opportunity here. Since it was a convent, the nuns still manage the school. The school name is displayed in a semi-circular section at the top. Below that, the shapes are highlighted by the black stone paving of a fort. The concrete pillars were connected to the slab to allow it to carry the force.
It appears that the Sacred Heart Convent School has not been repaired recently because the wall built around the school is discolored. Between the semi-arched shapes, concrete pillars are attached to the top. Although the upper wall is covered with black stones, it was created using only colored paints. The creation of several small-scale house shapes above the roof stands out among the proportional spaces.
During the Dutch colonial period, many building walls painted in yellow and orange colors. Thus one building caught my attention on this street because it was painted orange color.
Then I reached the vicinity of St. Aloysius School, a famous school in Galle city, where I received my lifelong education. Its front view was photographed from a distance because close-up photography is not allowed. It was started as a Catholic school during the British colonial period. The facade is attractive and has been kept unchanged to pass down the historical value to future generations. The statues of Saint Mary and Jesus are covered with glass in the first floor balcony section. The old wooden stairs are still used to climb to the upper floors. Several shapes of elephants are also displayed.
The auditorium of St. Aloysius College was in old condition when I was going to school, that is, about 20 years ago, but today it has been renovated with a new look. It is possible to imagine how the inside of the auditorium of the school has been renovated.
Several Catholic shrines can be seen due to a street created during the British colonial period. A slightly larger statue of Saint Mary was built covering it. There was a Catholic church above it, but it was not accessible due to a private road.
A Tamil temple in the Hindu tradition, built with the most attractive shapes and patterns, was also seen next to it. It was located behind some jewelery shops so it was not possible to get a view from the front. Carvings of animals like dragons and cobras as well as sculptures of Hindu gods can be seen in abundance in a Hindu temple. Carving these shapes takes more time but the end result is interesting.
Galle prison is located near Galle Templars Road. Although it is forbidden to take photos here, I took a photo of the front entrance from a distance to show you. The Sri Lankan national emblem was shown above. The arched entrance is constructed using oversized clay bricks.
My attention was drawn to a tourist hotel designed in the shape of a Catholic church. There was also a cross mounted on top of it. A few ornamental plants were planted in pots in the front to add decoration to the environment. The front area was paved with interlocking stones. Having arched entrances and exits is an attractive architectural feature. A clock has been created on the upper front wall so that people walking on the street can check the time.
A recently built multi-storied housing complex that did not exist when I was in school caught my eye. There are separate housing units here for those who live a life of luxury. Homeowners have an opportunity to see the surroundings very well. It is remarkable that this is finished in the form of the decks of a ship.
During this visit, newly constructed buildings, renovated old buildings as well as destroyed buildings were seen. However, they all have value, and inherent architectural elements can be seen.
I was also able to observe apartment buildings constructed using modern architectural elements and accessories. Especially, it is noticeable that different elements and shapes have been added to the veranda part of the houses. Customization of each floor adds value.
Many buildings with styles unique to each region can be seen in almost every part of the world. Similar mixed architectural features could be seen in Galle Templars Road. Many such buildings can be seen in different colors. Different types of verandas, door and window shapes can be seen here.
