Documentary of The Wolvendaal Church | Colombo ~ Sri Lanka

Описание: Wolvendaal Church (Wolvendaalse Kerk) is located in Pettah, a neighbourhood of Colombo. It is one of the most important Dutch Colonial-era buildings in Sri Lanka, and is one of the oldest Protestant churches still in use in the country.

In 1736 Governor of Ceylon, Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff sought approval from the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC) to demolish the existing church (Kasteel Kerk) within the Colombo Fort and construct a new one on the same site. However, the VOC refused this request, and it wasn't until the arrival of Governor Julius Valentyn Stein van Gollenesse 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 jackals 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 that commanded views across the town and over the harbor and was in proximity to the town's entrance. The site was also occupied by a small church, which had existed from the earliest period of Dutch occupation when the Wolvendaal neighborhood was a quiet suburban parish.

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, Joan Gideon Loten and his successor Jan Schreuder, together with Members of the Council, Reverend Ministers (Predikants), prominent Burghers, and their families.

The Dutch Reformed Church is currently known as the Christian Reformed Church of Sri Lanka. 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 Groote Kerk in Galle.

In January 2005 the Dutch Reformed Church (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.