Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
The red-and-white striped mosque on Second Cross Street in Pettah, completed in 1909 and visitable by guided tour outside prayer times.
What Jami Ul-Alfar actually is
Jami Ul-Alfar, also called the Red Mosque, is a two-storey mosque on Second Cross Street in Pettah, Colombo. Construction began in 1908 and finished in 1909. It was commissioned by the local Indian Muslim trading community and designed and built by Habibu Lebbe Saibu Lebbe, described as having no formal training as an architect.
The look is the reason people come: a candy-stripe red-and-white brick facade that mixes Indo-Saracenic details, South Indian influences and Gothic Revival and Neoclassical elements. Inside it is a functioning mosque for the five daily prayers and Friday Jummah. It was expanded in 1975, when neighbouring properties were bought, and now holds several thousand worshippers.
For visitors it is a short stop. Non-worshippers are normally taken round by a mosque guide, and you will not be able to enter during prayer times. It sits in the middle of Pettah Market, so it combines naturally with a walk through the streets around it.
Worth your attention
The striped facade
The red-and-white courses are the main thing. The detail is best from the street, so do not expect much from going inside.
A mix of styles
Indo-Islamic, South Indian, Gothic Revival and Neoclassical elements all show up in a small building.
The setting
It is surrounded by market traffic, wall-to-wall shops and street vendors. The contrast is as interesting as the building.
The guide
Tourist visits are reportedly guided and free. Ask the guide how the mosque is used and what the building has been through.
Before you go
Do this
- Dress for a mosque before you arrive: long trousers and sleeves for men, headscarf and covered arms and legs for women
- Remove your shoes where indicated and leave large bags at the counter
- Visit in the morning and avoid the midday prayer and Friday around noon
- Ask permission before photographing worshippers
- Combine it with Pettah Market, which surrounds it
Know this first
- Access for non-worshippers is limited and can change without notice, especially around prayers
- Friday is the busiest day, with only an afternoon window reported for tourists
- The prayer hall may not be open to visitors; treat the exterior as the main thing
- The streets around it are crowded and noisy
Getting to Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
Most people see Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque as part of a stay around Colombo. Our Colombo guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Colombo — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Colombo guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque — frequently asked
What is Jami Ul-Alfar?
A mosque in Pettah, Colombo, built 1908–09, known for its red-and-white striped facade. It is a working place of worship that also receives visitors.
When was it built?
Construction began in 1908 and it was completed in 1909.
Can tourists go inside?
Reportedly yes, on a guided basis outside prayer times and with modest dress. Rules and times change, so confirm at the entrance.
Is there a fee?
Visitor guides report entry and the guide as free. Donations are not required, but check on the day.
Also worth stopping for around Colombo
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