Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, Colombo, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque is a red-and-white striped mosque on Second Cross Street in the Pettah district of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Completed in 1909, it is one of the most photographed buildings in the old trading quarter and is often called the Red Mosque. It is a landmark for the city's Muslim community and for anyone walking through Pettah's crowded streets.

The story behind it

The mosque grew out of the area's Muslim trading community, who funded it themselves in a neighbourhood that was, and still is, a busy centre of commerce. The design is credited to Habibu Lebbe Saibu Lebbe, who chose a style that mixes Indo-Saracenic ideas with local building traditions. The mosque was finished in 1909.

Its candy-striped brickwork, domes and slender minarets stand out against the shopfronts around it. That is part of why it has become a symbol of Pettah, a place shaped for generations by merchants, markets and migration.

What to look for

• The bands of red and white brickwork on the facade, which give the building its nickname and make it easy to spot from the street.
• The minarets and domes rising above the rooflines of the surrounding shops, best judged from a short distance along the side streets.
• The contrast between the mosque and the busy market stalls and signboards at its feet, which says a lot about how Pettah works.
• The pointed arches and decorative detailing around the entrances and windows, which reward a slow look rather than a quick photo.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 30 minutes to look at the outside and take in the street, longer if you combine it with a walk around Pettah.
• Go in the morning, when the streets are lively but easier to move through than in the afternoon rush.
• This is an active place of worship. Dress modestly, be quiet near the entrances, and check current rules on visiting inside, especially around prayer times and on Fridays.
• Pettah's markets and lanes are all around, so plan to keep walking afterwards. Bring water and wear comfortable shoes.

See it on a quest

In Pettah: The Stories Between The Shops, you reach the mosque on foot as one stop of a longer route through the district. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you, so you look closely at the streets instead of rushing past. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Secret Records of Pettah is another way to take in the mosque and its surroundings. It is free to play, you can start any time, and there is no guide to follow. You walk from place to place, hear the story of each one, and solve a puzzle on the spot.