Jaffna Public Library, Sri Lanka

The Jaffna Public Library is a gleaming white building with domes and arches, standing in gardens in the centre of Jaffna, a short walk from the fort. It's one of the city's most photographed landmarks. For the people of Jaffna, it's also much more than that. Its destruction in 1981 was one of the most painful events in modern Sri Lankan history, and its rebuilding is a symbol of the city's recovery.

History

The library began in the 1930s as a small private collection, and it grew through public donations. The main building, designed in an Indo-Saracenic style, opened in 1959. By 1981 it held about 97,000 books and manuscripts, among them irreplaceable palm-leaf texts and historical records, and it was one of the largest libraries in Asia.

On the night of 31 May 1981, during a period of violence in the town, a mob that included police and paramilitaries set the library on fire. Almost the entire collection was lost. The burning deepened the distrust between Tamils and the state, and it's remembered as one of the events that pushed the country towards civil war.

The building was restored in the early 2000s, and it reopened to the public, with books donated from Sri Lanka and around the world. Today it is a busy working library, used mostly by students.

What to see

• The exterior and gardens. The white facade is at its best in the morning and late afternoon light. A statue of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, stands in front.
• The interior. Visitors can usually see the entrance hall and reading rooms at set times, typically in the late afternoon. Displays and photographs tell the story of the fire and the rebuilding.

Visiting

• Visiting hours for tourists are limited, so that readers aren't disturbed. Ask at the gate or at your hotel for the current times.
• Shoes are removed at the entrance.
• Silence is expected inside. This is a working library, so don't photograph students at their desks.
• Entry has generally been free.

Allow 20 to 30 minutes.

The burning of the library is still a sensitive memory. If local people speak to you about it, listen more than you ask. Our short history of Sri Lanka gives some background.

Nearby

The library stands beside the clock tower and Jaffna Fort, and the three make an easy late-afternoon walk, ending with sunset from the fort's ramparts. Nallur Kandaswamy Temple is 10 minutes away by tuk-tuk. For what to eat afterwards, see our Jaffna food guide, and for a full route, the Jaffna and the north itinerary.