The Bogambara prison, a historical site with rich architectural heritage, is set to be transformed into a hotel complex, announced Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga. A private investor will spearhead this initiative.
Assigned to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) in 2014, Bogambara Prison is undergoing redevelopment as part of the Greater Kandy Development Plan and the Kandy City Development Plan. Efforts are underway to preserve the prison’s colonial architecture while adapting the main building for new uses. According to E.M.S.B. Ekanayake, Central Provincial Director of the UDA, the project aims to enhance the economic value of the premises by adding open and recreational facilities accessible to the public.
In addition to the preservation of the prison wall and main building, development plans include transforming other areas of the site. The prison hospital building has already been renovated, and in 2018, the area in front of the prison was developed into a park, maintaining the integrity of the historical structures.
The proposal for the main prison premises includes a commercial complex featuring a shopping mall, food court, museum, and a tourist hotel, all while safeguarding the architectural and historical significance of the site. The selection of an investor has been finalised, and the preparation of cost estimates is currently in progress.
Operating for 138 years, Bogambara Prison was decommissioned on January 1, 2014, with its functions transferred to the new prison in Pallekele. The site is now open to the public for tours.
Historically, before Bogambara Prison was established, executions were carried out at Hangman’s Hill in front of the current Kandy Central Market. Constructed by the British in 1876 under the supervision of N. R. Saunders, the first Commissioner of Prisons and Police, the prison was built with the labour of 92 prisoners at a cost of Rs. 400,000. It served as one of two prisons in Sri Lanka where capital punishment was administered, capable of executing three individuals simultaneously. Covering 13 acres, its design was inspired by Edinburgh and mirrored the architectural style of Queen Victoria’s crown, resembling the Bastille Fort in Paris. Measuring 556 feet in length, 144 feet in width, and 102 feet in height, the prison has 328 cells and was the longest building in Asia built on a single plinth.
Notable prisoners such as Uthuankande Saradiel, Maru Sira, Colvin R. de Silva, Philip Gunawardena, and William de Silva were incarcerated here. The prison also supported various industries initiated by the Prison Welfare Department, including ornament production, stone block manufacturing, floriculture, and soap and coconut oil production.
From 1876 to 1975, a total of 524 prisoners were sentenced to death at Bogambara Prison. The last executions took place on November 21 and 22, 1975, involving W. G. Richard and T. M. Jayawardena, who were convicted in the notorious Tismada murders that shocked the nation.
Following these events, no further executions were carried out at Bogambara Prison.
The site also holds historical significance as the location where Ehelepola Kumarihami’s body was discovered after her tragic drowning.
