Proclaiming Colonial Urban Heritage: Towards an Inclusive Heritage-interpretation for Colombo’s Past
Colombo Sri Lankas commercial capital is a forceful creation of European colonialists who occupied the island for over four centuries Its urban structure displays the social fragmentation sought by the rulers Colombo elaborates an extraordinary process of citymaking stratified with its Dutchorigin Britishreshaping and postcolonial adaptation Proclaiming such a contested past as an inheritance requires an inclusive heritage interpretation The recent renovation of monumental buildings for potential market values and demolishing minor architecture do not display such a heritage interpretation