President's House for public viewing

President's House in Fort will officially open for public viewing from June 9 Thursday till the 14th. Entrance is free. However, schools and other institutions are required to make an appointment with the Presidential Secretariat prior to the visit.

It is reported that there is a four-storeyed underground luxury palace built by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Each story spreads over an area of 3000 square feet.

Built during the Dutch era, the House has been the public property of former Dutch governor Johan Gerard van Angelbeek who was in Sri Lanka from 1764-1767. On January 17, 1804, the House became the property of the British regime. Set in approximately four acres, the main attraction of the residence is the Gordon Gardens laid out by Governor Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, in honour of Queen Victoria in 1887.

Since independence in 1948, the house was officially declare the residence of Governor General of Ceylon. It was renamed as the President's House in 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic. William Gopallawa was the first Governor General and the first President of Sri Lanka to reside at the House.