A landmark red-and-white striped mosque in the Pettah bazaar, one of Colombo's most photographed buildings.

Overview

Better known as the Red Mosque, Jami Ul-Alfar is a striking confection of red and white brickwork with candy-striped minarets and domes rising above the crowded Pettah market. Its distinctive Indo-Saracenic facade makes it an unmistakable landmark. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times if dressed modestly.

History

Completed in 1909 to a design attributed to Habibu Lebbe Saibu Lebbe, the mosque was built to serve the Muslim traders of the Pettah quarter. Its exuberant striped brickwork was said to help sailors identify it from the harbour.