The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, universally known as the Red Mosque, is a confection of red and white striped candy-cane architecture that sits in the heart of the Pettah. Built in 1909 in a style that blends South Indian and European Baroque architectural elements, the mosque’s exterior is a beloved symbol of the city’s multicultural heritage. The surrounding streets of Pettah are some of the most vibrant in Colombo, alive with the commerce and colour of Sri Lanka’s Muslim community, and the mosque sits at the very heart of this lively, aromatic urban world.