What if these stone pillars could talk? Holy Trinity Church stands as a testament to faith and unity. It is more than just stone and wood. Let me tell you about this special place.
Holy Trinity Church is an Anglican church in Nuwara Eliya. Its construction shows early English Gothic style architecture. The church was consecrated in 1852.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip worshiped here in 1954. To remember the visit, the Queen gifted a blue carpet. She also gifted a stained glass window.
But the story of Holy Trinity Church goes back further. English planters wanted their places of worship. So they built this church in 1845. It was built on a hill near Nuwara Eliya.
The church’s architecture is special. Rev Lewis John Gaster got inspiration from Polonnaruwa. He embraced ancient Sri Lankan design. The chapel resembles the Embekke Devalaya from the Gampola era.
Look at the 54 stone granite pillars. They hold up the roof. Each pillar has swan motifs and lotus flower designs. These were inspired by Embekke. Each pillar was carved from a single block. The pillars weigh about 3 tons. Two elephants were needed to transport each pillar. One pulled and the other pushed.
The murals are masterpieces by Sri Lankan artist David Paynter. The main mural is the crucifixion painted in 1933. Frescoes show the ‘Parable of the Good Samaritan’ and the ‘Washing of the Feet’. Paynter wanted to appeal to the local audience. The faces in the murals have Sri Lankan features. The scenery is inspired by the island’s geography.
The ‘Chapel of the Light of the World’ is inside. It was the school chapel until the larger church was built. Even today service is held here. It has the mural ‘Are ye able’.
The pillars near the entrance show the Four Evangelists. Matthew has a winged man. Mark has a winged lion. Luke has a winged ox. John has an eagle. The sculptor used ancient Sri Lankan style for these symbols. Even the rainwater drain looks like a lotus.
The foundation stone was moved. It was originally near the road. Growing noise on the roads triggered the move.
Holy Trinity Church faced funding problems in 1927. But people gave generously. Colleges in the UK also helped. The school logos adorn the inner pillars. You can recognize the court of arms of Eton College.
Today, Holy Trinity Church is the pride of Trinity College. It is an architectural marvel. It nurtures faith. It also fosters an appreciation of Sri Lanka’s artistic heritage. It stands as a testament to faith and unity.