Kandy Clock Tower

Kandy Clock Tower stands at one of the city’s busiest junctions, where it functions as both landmark and memorial. Haji Mohamed Ismail commissioned it in memory of his son, Mohamed Zacky Ismail, who died in an accident near Kadugannawa in 1947. Architect Shirley de Alwis designed the tower with details influenced by Kandyan architecture. Construction was completed in 1950, and the monument was formally opened the following year. Its location makes it easy to pass without stopping, yet the tower carries a personal story beneath its public role in the centre of Kandy.