Cankilian Thoppu
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| Cankilian Thoppu | |
|---|---|
சங்கிலித்தோப்பு | |
 Cankilian Thoppu or arch of Cankili | |
  Location in central Jaffna | |
| Alternative names | Poothathamby Arch |
| General information | |
| Type | Triumphal Arch |
| Location | Jaffna, Sri Lanka |
| Coordinates | 9°40′34.4″N 80°02′09″E / 9.676222°N 80.03583°E |
| Owner | Sri Lankan Government |
| Design and construction | |
| Designations | Archaeological protected monument (23 February 2007) |
Cankilian Thoppu facade or Poothathamby arch,[1] simply known as Cankilian Thoppu (pronounced [Cənəgɪlɪənə ʈəɦoːbəbʉ]), 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.[2]
It is situated close to other physical remnants of the Jaffna kingdom and is believed to be part of the facade of the king's palace, even though its architecture style is typical of Dutch colonial architecture. The Cankilian Thoppu is located within the area known as the Pandiya Palace, which supports the connection with the Tamil kings and their kingdom.[3]
