Colombo's candy-striped Indo-Saracenic mosque on Second Cross Street in Pettah, completed in 1909
Turn into Second Cross Street in Pettah and the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque appears like a burst of colour among the market buildings. Its walls are patterned in red and white brick, its short minarets are capped with bulbous domes, and a clock tower rises above the facade, making it one of the most photographed buildings in Colombo.
This is first and foremost a busy place of worship, used for the five daily prayers and the Friday congregational prayer. Respectful visitors are welcomed outside prayer times, and a visit is a natural part of a walk through Pettah's bazaars. For Muslim travellers it is also a convenient place to pray while exploring central Colombo.
Traders from South India once stored goods on this street and kept a small prayer space here. In 1908 the local Muslim community began a purpose-built mosque, which was completed in 1909. It was designed and built by Habibu Lebbe Saibo Lebbe, a mason and Qur'an teacher with no formal architectural training, who is said to have worked from photographs of buildings supplied by the traders.
The result is an Indo-Saracenic building that mixes Indo-Islamic forms with Gothic Revival and neo-classical touches; teak was used for the inner pillars and satinwood for doors and windows. Some accounts say sailors used it as a landmark when approaching Colombo harbour. In 1975 the mosque began acquiring neighbouring properties for expansion, and a later multi-storey extension raised its capacity to around 10,000 worshippers.
Pettah has long been a centre of Colombo's Muslim trading community, and the Red Mosque remains the heart of daily religious life for many merchants and workers in the area. Friday is the busiest day, when the congregational prayer draws large crowds and access for sightseeing is limited. During Ramadan the surrounding streets take on a festive feel around iftar time.
Combine the mosque with a morning walk through Pettah, approaching along Second Cross Street to see the facade framed by the market lanes. Outside prayer times visitors are usually shown around by mosque volunteers, who can explain the building's history; photography of the exterior is generally welcomed, but ask before photographing people.
Afterwards, continue to the nearby Khan Clock Tower, Sea Street's jewellery shops or the Dutch Period Museum. Muslim visitors can time their visit for one of the daily prayers.
The mosque can be visited all year, but avoid Fridays and the daily prayer times if you are coming as a sightseer. Mornings are cooler for exploring Pettah on foot. Colombo's drier months from December to March are generally the most comfortable, while the south-west monsoon brings more rain from roughly May to September.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
The mosque sits in the middle of Pettah's market grid, a short walk from the Khan Clock Tower, Sea Street and the Dutch Period Museum. Colombo Fort railway station and the central bus stands are within walking distance. Pettah's eateries and street stalls serve local snacks, and many are run by Muslim traders, though travellers who need halal certainty should ask at each outlet.
Sri Lanka · 3 nights3★ HotelSri Lanka · 3 nights4★ HotelSri Lanka · 3 nights5★ HotelThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 27 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
