When on a city tour, many people may pause in Independence Square so that they can explore the building or unwind under the avenue of mango trees. The Arcade, a contemporary shopping center housed in historic colonial government structures and enlivened with a fountain, covered ponds, and other lion sculptures, lies close to the Square. The Independence Memorial Hall, which was constructed there to mark Sri Lanka's independence from British control in 1948, gave the square its name. Independence Square is located in Colombo's upscale Cinnamon Gardens neighborhood, where wide, tree-lined boulevards from colonial times still exist.