Kandy Railway Station

  

Kandy railway station is a major railway station in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways and is the primary railway station in Kandy and one of the most significant in the central hills. The station sits on a branch of the Main Line, leading to the Matale Line.

The Colombo to Kandy railway line was extended in stages, with the first stage to Ambepussa completed in December 1864 and the next stage to Polgahawela by November 1866. Following the construction of bridges over the Mahaweli Ganga and the Maha Oya the last rail tracks were laid on 15 April 1867. The next day the first steam engine entered the Kandy Railway Station. On 30 April 1867 the first train, a goods service, completed the journey from Colombo to Kandy, with the first passenger service commencing on 1 August 1867. Initially there were two train passenger/mail services, leaving at the respective ends of the service at 7:00am, with the overall journey taking 4.5 hours.

Kandy Railway Station features both Modernist and Victorian architecture. The station building is of the Art Moderne style, incorporating curving forms and long horizontal lines. It uses concrete massing to create a geometric form. Its minimalist walls and simple, bold forms contrast sharply with the highly ornamented, traditional architecture that surrounds it.