Ruins of King Sangiliyan's Minister's Residence (Manthri Mannai) / Mantri Manai

This the palace of last king of the north North viz King Sankili i and ii. This is under the department of Archeology but not well maintained. There is a well with clear water by the side. There is a tree growing on the wall closer to the roof which cracks the wall. Department should cut down this tree. Closer to this there's a statue of king Sankili on horseback.

No one is here.
No need to pay or no tickets we can see free of charge.
Building is little bit dangerous be careful when you are entering inside.

This structure said to be king Sankilian's minister's palace. It is an old structure and sign boards are there saying do not enter the place due to fact that it is unsafe. Felt like a haunted place.

One of the ancient historical monument in Jaffna, Nallur region. This place is not properly maintained the allocated department, many tourists visit here everyday but no renovation process is done to show this palace beautiful. Local people misuse this place and vandalize without knowing the value of this palace The building is going to fall very soon. Be careful while entering into the building.

Nice place to get an idea about the life of an affluent family in years past in the region.but its not maintained or operated in an organized manner.no tickets are needed and no one to guide anyone nor are there any boards explaining the historical facts.but still an interesting view to the past.

Very nice historical landmark. Ruins of King Sankiliyan's minister. Stands as testament to Eelam Tamils rich history. Unfortunately walls inside are full of graffiti. This place also serves as a popular photoshoot location for couples. Many wedding photos are taken here.

The ruins said to be of a minister of King Sankili. Has the architecture and characteristic of an ancient Catholic church. You can see the original structure and some evidences of colonial architecture in here. Looks like a haunted palace now, so good to visit during the day time.

Jaffna town. Originally known by its royal name “Singainagar” Nallur was the capital of the ancient Jaffna Kingdom. This was the official residence of the Minister of king Sankiliyan. This is located in Nallur along the Jaffna Point Pedro road. This is one of the ancient buildings still found in Nallur area. It is believed that this building was the residence of the Minister to the King Sangilian whose Kingdom had Nallur as its capital. This building had been constructed in conformity with a popular architectural design. This is a tourist place, people rarely comming to the place.

Nallur is located 3.5 km away from Jaffna town. Originally known by its royal name “Singainagar” Nallur was the capital of the ancient Jaffna Kingdom. This was the official residence of the Minister of king Sankiliyan. This is located in Nallur along the Jaffna Point Pedro road. This is one of the ancient buildings still found in Nallur area. It is believed that this building was the residence of the Minister to the King Sangilian whose Kingdom had Nallur as its capital. This building had been constructed in conformity with a popular architectural design. (Source lakpura.com)

There was a theft happened in the place last week. Windows of the residence were stolen by theives. It is believed that the place has high Archeological value. Even though the place is maintained by the Archeological department, there is no security at all. The place is wide open and anyone can enter and exit as they wish at anytime. This is sad that valuable evidence is being erased intentionally or unintentionally because of the ignorance of the officials. Archeological artifacts are the proofs that we existed in the past.

Mantri Manai or Manthiri Manai  (pronounced [mən̪d̪ɪɾɪˑmənəj]; literally Abode of Minister) is a historic palace situated in Nallur,  Jaffna,  Sri Lanka. It is one of the archaeological protected monuments in Jaffna District and was listed by the Sri Lankan government in 2007.

The palace is associated with the Jaffna kingdom. It is believed to be one of the palaces or residences of a minister of Cankili, king of Jaffna, before the fall of the Jaffna kingdom to the Portuguese. The building is surrounded by other historical remains of the Jaffna kingdom such as the Sattanathar temple, which was one of the city temples of the kingdom; Yamuna Eri and Cankilian Thoppu are also located nearby. However, much of the architectural style belongs to the post-Jaffna kingdom era.

The different theories

There are a number of contradictory theories about the origin of the building. Some historians say that it could have been built during the Dutch period, referring to the building materials used (bricks, lime plaster, wood and tiles), the structure and ornamental work. Alternatively, the ornamental work on pillars,  capitals and the arched porch appear to belong to the Jaffna kingdom's era.

After the fall of Nallur, the Portuguese shifted their capital to Jaffna, but they made use of existing structures. Also, the Dutch used pre-existing buildings and they constructed new buildings as well. According to the historians' view, the Mantri Manai could have been renovated or newly constructed by the Dutch. Another source says that the building has no connection with the Jaffna kingdom, but is a 19th-century choultry  (guesthouse).

Style

The Mantri Manai is built in a mixture of European and Dravidian architecture styles.  The entrance has an ornamental gateway, a large arched porch and a tower. It is a two-storey structure with wooden carvings decorating the interior walls. It has a well and a wash basin, a cellar, and a staircase leading down to underground rooms and secret tunnels.

This is the history of jaffna kingdom. The Sangiliyan Thoppu is an ancient arch which was once part of the outer facade of the Jaffna Kingdom, at the palace gate. What was once part of the king’s palace, the arch, with what closely resembles a Dutch colonial era aesthetic, is now a protected archaeological monument (as of 2007). Located barely a few metres away from the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in the Nallur suburbs, the arch isn’t the sole reminder of the ancient kingdom that fell hard and fast under Sri Lanka’s Portuguese occupation.
Close to the Sangiliyan Thoppu stands a monument commemorating Jaffna’s last king, King Cankili II. Back while the Civil War was taking place, the original Sangiliyan Thoppu, which was made out of plaster, was destroyed beyond repair. What stands in its place now is a gold-plated statue, installed in 2009 after the war came to an end. The monument serves as a reminder of a particularly gory part of Sri Lanka’s history.

Upon the death of Ethirimanna Cinkam in 1617, multiple people laid claim to the throne, of which Cankili II⁠—the dead king’s nephew—was one, along with the former king’s brother and an influential chieftain.
But eventually, the king’s son was named regent instead. Cankili II then had all claimants as well as all the princes killed, and took the throne for himself, proclaiming himself as king of the Jaffna kingdom.
But the Portuguese colonists who had settled in Colombo didn’t recognise his reign, and barely two years later, he was executed by the Portuguese. And so came the abrupt end to a long line of Aryacakravarti kings who had ruled over Jaffna for over three centuries.
Following his execution, the palace was destroyed, leaving nothing but the tell-tale foundations. The Sangiliyan Thoppu, being all that remains, is a silent monument to the once-great kingdom of Jaffna.
For those who are intrigued by its fascinating history, a tour of the palace ruins the Sangiliyan Thoppu is sure to be a thriller!

It is a historical place situated in Nallur, Jaffna. The maintenance is not there and no information provided.

It's one of the magnificent architectural moments in Jaffna, built in 1890 by Mr. A. S. TAMBIAPILLY (as shown on the inscription stone).
However, it is now an abandon heritage.a precious monument to be preserved for our future generations.
I personally request the relevant authorities to take action and preserve this place.as the locals misuse this property.

A Place to feel the Vibrations of the Ancient Kingdom of King Sangiliyan. Architectural and Nature friendly Creation

An interesting place to visit. It could do with a signpost explaining a bit more about the minister, the king and the time it was built.

The is beautiful historical site. However, like many ruins and historical sites in Sri Lanka, it's not maintained and provides no information. However, it's free to visit and worth seeing.

Historical place, but i think archaeological department missed it. Should protect those kind of places.

Ancient place to visit king sangiliyans minister house the history says very plesent place to visit and staff are friendly.

Not much to see here. The place houses the ruins of the residence of King Sangiliyan's Minister. However the place is falling down rapidly and it's so sad to see the current state of the ruins with the poor maintenance and preservation.

Really very sad to see this great monument dying.we should keep these safer for our future generation.amazing work by the designer and the builders.stone works and wood works are a legend in here.