Dawson Tower
Building in Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dawson Tower (Sinhala: ඩෝසන් කුළුණ, romanized: Dosan Kuluna), is located on Kadugannawa in the Kadugannawa Pass next to the Colombo - Kandy Road, the first modern highway in the island. Work began on the Colombo - Kandy Road in 1820 under the direction of Captain William Francis Dawson who died during the project. The Dawson Tower was erected in memory of Dawson.
| Dawson Tower | |
|---|---|
Dawson Tower as of January 2013 | |
  Location within Sri Lanka | |
| General information | |
| Status | Preserved |
| Architectural style | Monument |
| Location | Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka |
| Coordinates | 7.2566°N 80.517°E |
| Completed | 1832 |
| Designated | 6 July 2007 |
History
Under the direction of Governor Edward Barnes, Captain William Francis Dawson initiated the construction of the Colombo-Kandy road project in 1820. He died on 28 March 1829, before the completion of the construction work. It is said that he had been bitten by a venomous snake. Dawson Tower was erected in 1832 as a posthumous memorial to Dawson's exemplary service to the country.[1]
The tower location was selected as it was a few meters away from the Kadugannawa pass which stands witness to Dawson's technical expertise and engineering skills.
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