Main Building

The Main Building, built in 1920, is situated in the Upper Section. It possesses certain distinctive features rooted in Colonial architecture and is reminiscent of Victorian styled buildings. 

The Main Building houses the College Main Hall, Advanced Level classes as well as major administrative offices. Initially, this building’s boundaries ended at the College Armory and the Principal’s Office. Extensions were later made, key among them being the East and West Wings and the Science Section being added. 

Main Hall

The Main Hall is considered a symbol of Royal College itself. The hall interior acts as a gallery, with photographs of prominent past Royalists and past principals on display. Furthermore the Prize winners felicitated at the Prize Giving are memorialized here.

The Hall is built to accommodate a seating capacity of approximately six hundred people. Many students have memories here as this is the venue for many functions organized by College Student bodies.

Quadrangle

The Quadrangle is surrounded by the Main Building, the East wing, the West wing and Mathematics & Art Sections. Access to the Quadrangle is granted to certain types of students such as Senior Prefects, though Cadets and Scouts are allowed with special permission. 

The College bell is situated in the Quadrangle and is rung by chairmen of both the Students’ Christian Movement and the Catholic Students’ Union before the Carol Service begins. The bell is also rung in certain special occasions. 

Boake Gates

The Boake Gates are three entrances to the main building along Rajakeeya Mawatha. Erected in 1938 by Miss Carpenter-Garnier, accompanied by the principal at the time Mr. L.H.W. Sampson as well as a Senior Prefect and the Captain of Boake house, the gates stand as a symbol for the traditions and culture of College.

The gates were built in memory of Rev. Dr. Barcroft Boake, who served as headmaster of the Colombo Academy from 1842 to 1870. His son Rev. W. H. Boake bequeathed £250 in his will to the Lord Bishop of Colombo to be used at College in the memory of his father. This money was used to build a set of wrought iron gates which were named the Boake Memorial Gates, replacing the wooden gates that had been installed in 1923.

The gates have been said by Principal Sampson “to be a worthy memorial to a great principal and a worthy ornament to a fine block of buildings”. When the son of Dr. Boake, Rev. W.H. Boake passed away in Australia, he made a special note on his last will to the Lord Bishop of Colombo for certain Diocesan objects, with the condition that one third of the money left to the Lord Bishop of Colombo was to be used at Royal College for some gift which would perpetuate the memory of Dr. Boake.

Those responsible were glad to replace the previous gates so called “wooden abominations” with a hefty wrought iron gate designed by Mr. Wynn Jones and made with the help of an old Royalist and Director of Public Works Kenneth De Krester, and was made at the Government Factory. The gates perfectly encapsulate the nature of Dr. Boake as well as complement the school’s Victorian architecture. Today, it is an extraordinarily well preserved piece of Royal History.

Main Grounds

The Main Grounds of the Royal College is situated in the South Corner of Royal College. All students can access the Main Grounds during the Interval and Physical Education periods. The prestigious JR Pavilion is also situated in the Main Grounds. These grounds provide a space for training for a plethora of different sports. Many of the most awaited programs in the College Calendar such as the Annual General Meeting, Mini Battle, Sports Meets, Inter – School/House competitions and Carnivals take place here.

Siyambala Tree

“Tamarindus Indika”,or on more colloquial terms “Tamarind Tree”, is the species of a particularly significant tree in the College Main Grounds. A pavilion gifted by mother nature, the leafy shade gifted by the tree has sheltered many a student in its time. 

The constant cool breeze wafting across the grounds, rustling through the green grass that spreads as far as the eye can see lends this location a serene essence. To the well attuned, even the presence of all the Royalists’ memories hoarded beneath the timber titan is palpable. 

Junior Grounds

The Junior Grounds located in front of the esteemed Navarangahala theatre was a part of the RPS and was known as the Royal Oval before the amalgamation of the RPS & the Royal College in 1972. Hence only afterwards has it been known as the Junior Grounds.

The Junior Grounds adjoin the Primary Section of the Royal College. There is easy access to the grounds by using the Primary Gate. The Junior Grounds are used for various functions and a variety of sporting activities such as the Primary Section Sports Meet. Furthermore, the Teachers and Prefects’ match, one of the most awaited events in the College Calendar, takes place in the Junior Grounds.

Navarangahala

The Navarangahala was declared open by Hon. Dudley Senanayake, the then Prime Minister of Ceylon, on the 1st of August 1969. The Foundation Stone was laid by Hon. I.M.R.A. Iriyagolla on the 11th of November 1966.

The construction of this building began in the year 1966 with funding aided by the government and donations. It was specially designed to cater to the local types of drama which required an open-air theatre according to Natya Shastra. Thus it became the first Purpose-built Indoor open-air theatre in all of Sri Lanka.

Being one of the biggest halls in the country with a seating capacity of approximately one thousand viewers, the Navarangahala has been a great asset to the aesthetic activities of school ranging from theatre and music to providing a space for mass gatherings and many important events such as the Colors Night and Clubs Felicitation Ceremony.

Oak Building

The oldest existing building at the College, built before the construction of the main building, it was initially used as the College boarding house and served as a field hospital during World War II, though it returned to being the boarding house subsequently. After the creation of a new hostel building during the 1980s, the Oak Building is now used as the Grade 8 block and underwent a thorough renewal of infrastructure. Prior to being acquired by the Royal College the oak building was a part of the Teacher Training College and is said to have existed prior to the first world war

J.R. Jayawardena Pavilion

The J.R. Jayawardena Pavilion is located at the right corner of the College Main Grounds. Initially completed as the “New Royal College Pavilion” in February 1930. Later the Pavillion was rebuilt and with larger infrastructure and was declared open by His Excellency J.R. Jayawardene.

Auditorium

The Auditorium is a key meeting place for the student population of Royal College. Situated in the Science Section of the Main Building, the auditorium is used as a meeting place for students, administration and special gatherings such as parents meetings. The room is built with a lecture hall setting, and serves its purpose of being a meeting place quite effectively.

Basketball Courts

The Basketball Courts of Royal College are situated in the East Corner of Royal College, facing Reid Avenue and are right next to the Boake Gates. The area comprises two Basketball Courts. These Courts were renovated and upgraded at the beginning of 2013 and now, the courts can be used for night tournaments under lights and have the facilities to accommodate more than 500 spectators. The Courts are used for Junior and Senior Basketball Team practices and are also available for private practices and tournaments after reservations. The most anticipated event in the Basketball Calendar of Royal College; the Royal – Thomian Basketball Encounter happens once every two years at the Royal College Courts. 

Boxing Ring

The College Boxing Ring is situated in the Eastern Lobby of Royal College, adjoining the Basketball Court. Within the ring many boxers of Royal College have trained and gone on to perform at the National and International level as well. The Boxing Ring is only accessible to Boxers and practice takes place twice a week.

Conference Room

Situated in the heart of the Main building and adjoining to the Main Office of Royal College, the

Conference room is used for administrative discussions. The Conference room contains a projector and screen, and aims to create the perfect atmosphere for an undisturbed meeting.

Interactive White Board Room

The Interactive Whiteboard room is a modern day teaching tool which helps teachers to manage their workload along with enabling teaching students in a more efficient manner. 10 Interactive White Boards were donated to Sri Lanka by Canada in the year 2009 of which one was donated to Royal College.

Little Theatre

Situated in the First Floor Corner of the Grade 11 Building, the Little Theatre is an aesthetic location of Royal College. This theatre is used for educational purposes and is used to showcase academic movies and audio clips to students. This cannot be reserved by external organizations.

RCU Auditoriums

The Royal College Union Auditoriums are situated in the Primary section in the Royal College Union Building, next to the Primary Gate and are visible to Rajakeeya Mawatha. The RCU Auditoriums can be reserved and used by any organization. The RCU contains auditoriums suitable for any event/meeting/presentation and can even host discussion forums. The rooms are fully Air Conditioned and on request, FM Microphones, Podiums, Screens and Projectors can be provided. 

Sports Complex

Declared Open on the 10th of May 2001, the Royal College Sports Complex (RCSC) is equipped with facilities for many indoor and outdoor sports as well as a complete fitness center. The Sports Complex is situated strategically in one of Colombo’s residential areas, surrounded by schools, universities and many national sports associations in and around Cinnamon Gardens. 

The Sports Complex dream became a reality to the school thanks to the efforts made by The Royal College Sports Complex Committee (RCSCC), headed by none other than the dynamic chief of Singer Sri Lanka, Mr. Hemaka Amarasuriya and his dedicated team of officials.

The RCSC is used for both indoor and outdoor sports. The outdoor stadium facing the main pavilion is used for rugby, soccer, baseball and hockey. The Indoor Stadium provides international standard facilities for badminton, basketball, table tennis, volleyball, netball and boxing. Another notable feature is an ultra modern gymnasium with separate areas for school children and adults. There are three badminton courts of international standard with a spectator capacity of two hundred and fifty. The multipurpose indoor stadium which hosts other indoor sports has a seating capacity of 450. There are two separate squash courts with a spectator capacity of 150. The rugby ground has a seating capacity for 2,500 with a further 6,000 on the terraces.

The Royal College Sports Complex Committee (RCSCC) offers the services and facilities to other schools, clubs and associations at special rates. The RCSC offers these services under three categories –present Royalists, members of the Royal College Union (Old Boys) and general public.

Bookings are accepted from the members, corporate and individual, national, regional and local sports associations, NSAs and clubs.

Swimming Pool

The Royal College swimming pool was declared open by the Hon. Dudley Senanayake (Prime Minister of Ceylon) on the 30th of October 1968. Since then it has been maintained by the Board of Management of the Royal College Union. The Royal College Union Aquatic Club is formed by the swimmers of Royal College.

Details of the Pool

Pool Length 33 ⅓ Yards

Lanes 7

Deep End 14 Feet

Diving Permitted only when a Coach is available

Table Tennis Room

The Royal College Table Tennis Room is situated on the Ground Floor of the Grade 10 building of Royal College. The Table Tennis Room is a fully furnished and equipped facility. The Juniors and Seniors of the Table Tennis team of Royal College practice at the TT Room. 

Tennis Courts

The Tennis Courts of Royal College are situated at the North Corner of Royal College, facing Rajakeeya Mawatha and the Boake Gates. The Royal College Tennis Courts is a type of ‘clay’ tennis court and comprises 2 courts. Practices take place for Junior and Senior Tennis Team players of Royal College on a weekly basis. The Courts can be reserved for private training.

Computer Labs

The field of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) at the College is given great significance with a total of five highly equipped Computer Laboratories accessible to all sections of the school. The labs are equipped with state of the art machines and a description of their numbers and uses are listed below.

Lab 1 – 40 Computers Reserved for Primary Section Students

Lab 2 – 40 Computers Reserved for Students from Grade 6 to 13

Lab 3 – 60 Computers Reserved for Advanced Level Students

Lab 4 – 90 Computers Reserved for Students from Grade 6 to 11

Lab 5 – 40 Computers Reserved for Students from Grade 6 to 9

Libraries

The Royal College Library is one of the largest school libraries in Sri Lanka and its history spans over one and a half centuries. Overall, the library possesses above thirty five thousand volumes and an immense amount of periodicals to cater to the average student’s every need. The Library uses the Dewey decimal classification system and the Brown lending system.

The library consists of three main sections.

1. Main Library

2. Primary Library

3. Science Reading Room

Main Library

The Main Library consists of a reference section, a lending section and a new reading section. The reference section provides papers, Magazines, VCD’s, VHS tapes and reference library services in which rare books are available for study. College Magazines, Souvenirs, Government gazettes, local and foreign periodicals, teacher’s guides and many subject titles are available for students who are keen on research. The lending of books is done through a Data Base system which was recently put into use. The membership of this section is open for students ranging from Grade 7-13 and each class has a separate library period to borrow books from this section. A student member is allowed to borrow a book for a period of 7 days. Tutorial Staff members are also able to become members and additional facilities are provided for them. The newly designed reading room is specially allocated for the use of students during their library periods or can be used on free periods with the relevant permission.

Primary Library

This section caters to students ranging from grade 1 to 6. Fiction, picture books, fairy tales, maps, novels, biographies, subject books and many other books can be borrowed for a period of 10 days. Books are available in Sinhala, English and Tamil. Every class has a separate library period and borrowing is allowed to students above Grade 4. A branch of the Junior Library for Grade 2-3 students is situated in the Grade 2 building. There are about 18,000 books at the disposal of students. Additionally, educational video films are organized by this library during the end of term weeks to be projected to students during the library period.

Science Reading Room

The Science Reading Room is available for use by Advanced Level Science Section students. Many valuable textbooks are available for reference and guidance

MAS Arena

The MAS Arena, one of Sri Lanka’s first school sporting arenas, was ceremonially opened on the 28th of March 2018 with the presence of the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. The arena was donated to their Alma Mater by the founders of MAS – Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean, Ajay Amalean and Sharad Amalean. The Arena was constructed by the 04th Engineering Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army under the command of Lt. Gen Jagath Jayasooriya. As one of the first of its kind the arena is designed to nurture and develop young talented sportsmen of the school and also become a venue that benefits a range of sports in Sri Lanka. Designed to facilitate many sports, the Royal MAS Arena is capable of hosting tournaments for boxing, wrestling, karate, wushu, judo, fencing, table tennis, gymnastics, chess and carrom. This versatile, fully functional arena, customised to suit many sporting needs, is located on Rajakeeya Mawatha, next to the entrance to the Royal College Primary Section. Featuring modern amenities such as completely retractable seating, fully equipped locker rooms and customisable lighting, the Royal MAS Arena also features Sri Lanka’s first-ever world-class gym pit for gymnastics. Designed by the consultant architect Nandana Lal Karunasena, founder of Nandana Karunasena Associates, the Arena can accommodate a maximum of 1,000 spectators.

Bookshops

Given the acute need for stationery and printing facilities throughout the school year, Royal College offers two bookshops divided among sections. Students are able to procure paper and necessary stationery during the interval and this is a supplement to teachers as they are able to photocopy notes and tests for their students.

Bottleneck and social bookshop (Talk about the services provided photocopy and all)

Edex Building

A joint initiative of Edex and Loyalty Pledge, the new structure was unveiled in 2015 on the 7th of April with the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe as a novel addition. What is noteworthy about the building is its green and eco-friendly architecture as well as the level of self sustainability present as a single building. Currently students of the Primary Section study in the Edex Building. 

Volleyball Court

As the national sport of Sri Lanka, Volleyball has a strong hold over the student population and is  supported strongly. Royal College at present has both indoor and outdoor Volleyball courts in which students can both practise competitively and spend their leisure time happily.

News Room

The home of the Royal College News Team, the News Room situated in the College Middle School provides an invaluable function of informing the school of upcoming events and special occurrences. The broadcast is carried out in Sinhala, Tamil and English, and can be heard daily following the College Anthem.

Cadet Room

Historically the Cadet Room has been placed in the Upper Section of College, with renovations taking place in 2018. The Room is used by College Cadets to store instruments safely and for planning the various activities carried out throughout the year.

Co- Curricular Rooms

With the prevalence of a variety of different clubs in College, each performing a multitude of functions ranging from religious observation, competitive representation and knowledge sharing – often a Club Room becomes necessary for the Club to aid in their everyday activities. The Rooms presently available are as follows:

Islamic Room – Located on the first floor of the Grade 10 building. This room has served the Islamic Society of Royal College for many years.

Media Room – The Media room is located on the second floor of the Grade 07 building and houses all equipment utilized by the Media Unit of Royal College.

Red Cross Room – The Red Cross room is situated below the staircase in the Oak building. It serves as a useful resource for the Red Cross Society to carry out their service.

Buddhist Brotherhood Room – The room is situated on the third floor of the Grade 11 building.

Social Services League Room – This room dubbed “The Bookshop” has served for many decades as the center of all Social Services League activities.

Choir Room – The Choir room is situated adjacent to the Middle Section Office. Weekly Choir and Band practices are conducted here.

Chess Room – The Chess Room is placed in the Middle Section of the School and has been functioning for almost ten years. The Chess Room serves to facilitate the training of the highly successful College Chess team.

Laboratories

Since its inception College has ceaselessly aspired to enable students to maximize their academic potential and reach new and greater heights. Especially in the fields of science such as biology, chemistry and physics the necessity for practical demonstrations and experimentation is clear in order to provide a robust learning experience. As such over eight laboratories are present both in the Middle School and Upper Section that are well equipped and aim to give students practical knowledge safely.

Scout Room

The Royal College Scout Room is located next to the Junior Ground and can be easily accessed through the College Primary Gate. The present Scout Room was built in . The Scout Room is the central hub for training and planning for Scouts of all ages and the sight of Scouts building structures, cooking and learning new skills is a common sight when walking down Reid Avenue.

The transfer of the boys from Training College to Royal in 1917 saw the school population rise to over 600 students and for the first time in its history, Royal had a playground worthy of the College at Thurstan Road. Subsequently, with the shift to Reid Avenue (where the new ground were being laid out) all Inter-House Athletics Meets, House Cricket matches were still played at Thurstan Road till 1925. With the spacious playing field, Inter House activities thrived from 1918 at Thurstan Road till 1925. The new building at Reid Avenue was occupied in 1923 but the Grounds came into use in 1926. 

Cafeterias

The school consists of 3 cafeterias with one each being located in the Primary Section, Middle Section and Upper Section. 

The Milk Bar:

The “Milk Bar”, which is now run by “Perera & Sons”, is situated in the Primary Section where it is visible as you walk past the Primary Gate next to the Junior Grounds. 

The Room Mothers’ Cafeteria:

The Room Mothers’ Cafeteria situated in between the Grade 6 and Grade 9 buildings was formed by the mothers of students as an altruistic endeavour to provide boys with nutritional meals. 

The Main Canteen:

The Main Canteen is situated in the Upper Section, specifically in the East Wing Lobby adjacent to the Basketball Court and in front of the Boxing Ring.

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