Poothathamby Arch (Sangili Toppu)

This is a beautiful and historic place in Jaffna. The arch looks grand and has great cultural value. It reminds us of Jaffna’s royal history and the pride of the old kingdom. The area is peaceful and nice to visit, especially if you love learning about local heritage. A great spot to take photos and feel the spirit of Jaffna’s past.

This is believed to be the façade of King Sangiliyan's palace. It is situated right at the road side, hence you can easily spot this place. Behind this, you can see what is believed to be the foundation of King Sangiliyan's Palace. Unfortunately, these buildings have not been preserved properly.

It’s only the entrance we can see when we visit there. If you want to visit the building, you want to go little bit further on main road

Cankilian Thoppu facade is an ancient facade, and one of the remnants of the Jaffna kingdom. The arch is located on the Jaffna-Point Pedro Road, near Nallur, Jaffna. The Cankilian Thoppu is an archaeological protected monument in the Jaffna District and was listed as such by the Sri Lankan government in 2007. This facade was abandoned for several years but now A senior surgeon and the head of the Surgery Department of the Medical Faculty Dr. Subramanium Raviraj had been funded with his own money to renovate it. Must visit place.

There may have been a castle a long time back but there no visible signs of any of it other than this gate. Sitting next to the main highway everyone passes through it but no one really seem to appreciate it. Some form of a shelter is added to the top of the gate to protect from weather. Behind the gate is what I believe is a private property with a house so any clues to the hisptory are all lost. Gate itself is not very decorative but quite plain. Kings’ ministers residence nearby is far prettier and is still somewhat intact.

Facade of a king Sankali's palace. Interestingly, with influences of Dutch Architecture! Beyond the facade, as a seperate unit are ruines of the palace building proper. Unfortunately, only the foundation and footings remain.

It’s only the entrance we can see when we visit there. If you want to visit the building, you want to go little bit further on main road

Ruins of a long lost kingdom is left without proper maintenance. Local people used to engage in various activities around this site. Not much is left now. There is a statue of King Sangiliyan within 100m from this site, who believed to have constructed this palace.