404:, on an ornately carved tripod stand, dates back to 1667. The pulpit is typical for a Dutch Reformed Church, where the minister stands higher than the congregation on a richly ornamented wooden structure. On the walls of the Church are many mural tablets while there are many more built into the external walls. The floor is paved with granite flagstones (purportedly brought from Holland) interdispersed with engraved tombstones, of those who lie buried within the church or whose remains were relocated from the Kasteel Kerk. Many famous names of 300 year Sri Lankan history, Dutch, Burgher, Singhalese, Tamil and English, can be found amongst the gravestones within and outside the church. There are five Dutch Governors buried at the church, including the last Governor,
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for wolves, and the area became known as
Wolvendaal (Wolf's Dale or Wolf's Valley). The site that was selected was on a hill which commanded views across the town and over the harbour and was in proximity to the town's entrance. The site was also occupied by a small church, which had existed from the
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surmounted with a brazen lion. This lion had a crown on its head, bearing a sword in one hand and seven arrows in the other, representing the seven united provinces of the Dutch
Republic. In 1856, a bolt of lightning destroyed the lion and seriously damaged the dome. The roof was later replaced with
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The foundations of the church were laid in 1749 and it took eight years to build. It was completed on 6 March 1757, when it was dedicated for public worship by Rev. Matthias
Wirmelskircher, Rector of the Colombo Seminary. At the dedication there were two Governors present,
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The Church has several locations throughout the
Colombo area. Wolvendaal Church is the only Dutch Church on the island that has been continually in use, with in 2018 services in Tamil, Sinhalese and English every Sunday. A similar Dutch Reformed Church building is the
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From the time of its dedication through to the end of Dutch rule
Wolvendaal was the principal place of worship, although Kasteel Kerk remained the main religious seat for the European and local officials of the VOC, until it was demolished in 1813.
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in 1743 that the impasse was overcome. He decided that the new church would be erected in the area beyond the city walls, which at the time was swamp and marshland. The
Europeans mistook the packs of roaming
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The organ is the oldest organ in Sri Lanka. The seats for the governor and his officials, who sat higher than the sitting congregation, are still well-preserved with sight worthy wood carvings.
455:(DRC) established the Wolvendaal Foundation to preserve the church's architecture. Its ultimate aim is to further cordial relations between the various races and religions on the island.
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365:) with coral and lime plaster. The high roof in the middle of the building resembles a dome and was originally arched with brick and roofed in blue Bangor
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and construct a new one on the same site. However, the VOC refused this request, and it wasn't until the arrival of
Governor
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361:(i.e. legs of equal length), with walls nearly 1.5m (five feet) thick, constructed of unusually large kabok (clay
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General
Consistory - Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka; Franciscus, S. Douglas (Ed) (1983).
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earliest period of Dutch occupation, when the
Wolvendaal neighbourhood was a quiet suburban
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Faith of our
Fathers: History of the Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
562:"Wolvendaal Church - Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka - 360 years of history"
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The Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka (Ceylon): 350th anniversary, 1642-1992
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Watercolour painting of the Dutch Reformed Church (Wolvendaal), Colombo by
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Tombstones of reverend Henricus Philipszoon and his wife Susanna Scharff
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an iron covering. The church is capable of seating 1,000 persons.
259:. It is one of the most important Dutch Colonial era buildings in
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657:"CRC | History of the Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka"
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Inside the church there is a solidly constructed State
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de Silva, Rajpal Kumar; Beumer, Willemina K.G (1988).
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Dutch Town Planning Overseas During VOC and WIC Rule
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The Dutch Reformed Church is currently known as the
400:), dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The
459:Other Dutch Reformed Church buildings in Sri Lanka
388:(to accommodate the Dutch governor) with numerous
528:Illustrations and Views of Dutch Ceylon 1602-1796
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427:The typically Dutch design-pulpit in the church.
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582:
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1001:18th-century Calvinist and Reformed churches
357:style of the period, in the form of a Greek
719:Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka (1992).
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740:
521:
519:
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955:St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Colombo
303:or VOC) to demolish the existing church (
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876:Cathedral of Christ the King, Kurunegala
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441:Christian Reformed Church of Sri Lanka.
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871:Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour
530:. Serendib Publications. p. 255.
267:churches still in use in the country.
49:Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka
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727:: Dutch Reformed Church in Sri Lanka.
682:"CRC | Locations & Service Times"
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553:
551:
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504:de Bruijn, Max; Raben, Remco (2004).
991:Dutch Reformed churches in Sri Lanka
313:Julius Valentyn Stein van Gollenesse
506:The World of Jan Brandes, 1743-1808
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996:18th-century churches in Sri Lanka
892:St. Thomas' Cathedral, Vaddukoddai
855:St. Sebastian's Church, Diyalagoda
703:
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353:The church was constructed in the
301:Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie
16:Doric church in Colombo, Sri Lanka
14:
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850:St. Sebastian's Cathedral, Mannar
785:St. Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade
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929:Dutch Reformed Church, Kalpitiya
835:St. Mary's Cathedral, Batticaloa
808:
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564:. Sri Lanka Heritages Foundation
560:Paranavithana, Dr. K.D. (2011).
470:Dutch Reformed Church, Kalpitiya
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800:St. Anthony's Church, Wahakotte
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627:
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934:Dutch Reformed Church, Matara
830:St. Mary's Cathedral, Badulla
780:Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka
587:. Walberg Pers. p. 107.
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475:Dutch Reformed Church, Matara
845:St. Mary's Cathedral, Jaffna
795:Shrine of Our Lady of Matara
112:Shown within Central Colombo
7:
840:St. Mary's Cathedral, Galle
790:Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu
295:, sought approval from the
263:, and is one of the oldest
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986:Churches completed in 1757
635:"BBK.GKV » Sri Lanka"
406:Johan Gerard van Angelbeek
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917:Christian Reformed Church
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908:Methodist Church, Pettah
611:, p. 112. Stockholm 1977
508:. Waanders. p. 234.
297:Dutch East India Company
773:Roman Catholic shrines
762:Churches in Sri Lanka
583:Van Oers, Ron (2000).
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122:Geographic coordinates
825:St. Lucia's Cathedral
624:, p. 158. Berlin 2023
609:Ceylon - en reseguide
453:Dutch Reformed Church
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255:, a neighbourhood of
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714:. Pragna Publishers.
451:In January 2005 the
345:and their families.
981:Churches in Colombo
864:Anglican cathedrals
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948:Church of Scotland
939:Groote Kerk, Galle
480:Kruys Kerk, Jaffna
465:Groote Kerk, Galle
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333:and his successor
289:Governor of Ceylon
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144:6.9421°N 79.8590°E
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960:Scots Kirk, Kandy
924:Wolvendaal Church
331:Joan Gideon Loten
281:J. L. K. van Dort
249:Wolvendaalse Kerk
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607:Finn Ståhl:
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566:. Retrieved
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349:Architecture
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309:Colombo Fort
305:Kasteel Kerk
304:
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248:
244:
243:
160:Architecture
60:6 March 1757
18:
446:Groote Kerk
419:Current use
226:.wolvendaal
147: /
44:Affiliation
975:Categories
691:25 January
666:25 January
641:25 January
637:(in Dutch)
491:References
448:in Galle.
398:kerkstoels
394:calamander
370:roof tiles
339:Predikants
265:Protestant
135:79°51′32″E
622:Sri Lanka
363:ironstone
261:Sri Lanka
202:Completed
132:6°56′32″N
86:Sri Lanka
343:Burghers
287:In 1736
78:Location
73:Location
38:Religion
725:Colombo
568:23 June
318:jackals
271:History
257:Colombo
217:Website
207: (
192: (
82:Colombo
591:
534:
323:parish
283:(1888)
253:Pettah
169:Church
68:Active
65:Status
390:ebony
367:slate
359:cross
355:Doric
181:Doric
176:Style
693:2019
668:2019
643:2019
589:ISBN
570:2014
532:ISBN
392:and
228:.org
209:1757
205:1757
194:1749
190:1749
165:Type
386:Pew
224:www
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514:^
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291:,
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299:(
247:(
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196:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
