Jaffna Cultural Centre

Jaffna Cultural Centre, also known as the Saraswathi Mahal (Tamil:யாழ்ப்பாணக் கலாசார மத்திய நிலையம்; Sinhala: යාපනය සංස්කෘතික මධ්‍යස්ථානය), is a state-owned cultural centre located near Jaffna Public Library Premises in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.

The centre was built under an Indian grant at a cost of USD 11 million. The foundation stone for the centre was laid by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Jaffna in March 2015. The construction of the complex was started on 26 September 2016 after selecting the best design for the centre through a National Design Competition held in two rounds. The centre was declared open on 11 February 2023 by the then Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe with the presence of Indian Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan, celebrating 75 years of friendship between India and Sri Lanka.

The centre comprises a theatre-style auditorium (with projection facilities) with a capacity of 600 people, a multimedia library with online research facilities, an 11-storey learning tower, exhibition and gallery space and a museum. 

The centre is ideal for holding/participating in social events and meetings and experiencing the cultural heritage of the local Jaffna community.

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This page was last updated on 27 February 2023