Khan Clock Tower, Clock tower at Pettah Market entrance, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Khan Clock Tower is a four-storey tower of pale cream stone on a landscaped roundabout at the entrance to Pettah Market. Its square shaft is banded with reddish-brown trim, and a round white clock face with dark hands and numerals sits near the top below a projecting cornice. Above the clock, the tower narrows into a stepped section with a small arched opening, topped by a domed roof and slender finial. A rectangular plaque with small text is set on the lower facade above an arched entrance.
The tower was built in the early 20th century by the family of Framjee Bhikhajee Khan, a Parsi merchant from Bombay who also owned the Colombo Oil Mills. The plaque records that his sons Bhikhajee and Munchershaw erected the tower and fountain in his memory, dedicated to the citizens of Colombo on 4 January 1923, the 45th anniversary of his death.
Indian merchants from Bombay played a key role in shaping this commercial area during the early 1900s. The tower reflects how these business families left their mark on Colombo's trading landscape.
This structure serves as a primary reference point for navigating the market district from multiple angles. Visitors should be aware of traffic around the roundabout, as it is a central intersection in the area.
The plaque on the tower records that the clock tower and its fountain were dedicated to the citizens of Colombo on 4 January 1923, the 45th anniversary of Framjee Bhikhajee Khan's death. The fountain itself no longer works.
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