Isipathanaramaya Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Located in Havelock Town it was built in 1916 by Duenuge Disan Pedris, a wealthy merchant, in memory of his only son Henry Pedris who was executed by British officials for alleged incitement of racial riots in 1915, which were proven false. … Read more
Island Hermitage on (Polgasduwa) Dodanduwa Island, Galle District, Sri Lanka is a famous Buddhist forest monastery founded by Ven Nyanatiloka Mahathera in 1911. It’s a secluded place for Buddhist monks to study and meditate in the Buddhist tradition. It also has an English and German library. The Island Hermitage was the first center of Theravāda … Read more
Rumassala, known to colonialists as Buona Vista, is the subject of many legends. It is featured in the Ramayana, as the home of the beautiful Queen Sita. According to the Ramayana, it is also said that Hanuman dropped a chunk of ‘Himalaya’ at Unawatuna (Onna Vetuna – ‘here it fell’) to form the present mountain, … Read more
Kanabiso Pokuna Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhala: කණබිසෝ පොකුණ රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple in Monaragala District, Sri Lanka. The temple is located in Handapanagala village approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) distance from Wellawaya town. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation … Read more
Kasagala Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhala: කසාගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist Temple, situated in Angunukolapelessa, Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. It is situated about 10 km (6.2 mi) away from Ranna Junction along Ranna – Weeraketiya road. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The … Read more
Katugahagalge Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient cave temple with its origin going back to the pre-Christian era with some unique features. According to folklore the temple is believed to be built by King Walagamba during the period he was building up an army from the south to take back the throne which was seized by … Read more
Keheliya Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhala: කැහැලිය රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple in Monaragala District, Sri Lanka. The temple is located in Handapanagala village approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) distance from Wellawaya town. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared … Read more
Kiri Vehera is an ancient stupa situated in Kataragama, Sri Lanka. This stupa probably dates back to the 3rd century BC and is believed to have been built by King Mahasena, a regional ruler of the Kataragama area. One of the most popular Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the country, Kiri Vehera is among the Solosmasthana, … Read more
Bibile Kokunnewa Purana Viharaya is an ancient temple in the Monaragala district with a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. This temple lies on the Bibile – Inginiyagala road, just 6.5 km off Bibile town. Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a number of stone stumps usually … Read more
The Kothduwa temple, or Koth Duwa Raja Maha Viharaya, is a Buddhist temple located on Kothduwa Island on the Madu Ganga in southern Sri Lanka. The island is located in the Galle District of the Southern Province approximately 35 km (22 mi) north of Galle and 88 km (55 mi) south of Colombo. The temple … Read more
Kotte Raja Maha Vihara ( Sinhala: කෝට්ටේ රජ මහා විහාරය) is a historic Buddhist temple situated in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Western province, Sri Lanka. It is located near the historic building Pita Kotte Gal Ambalama at the Pita Kotte junction on Kotte Road. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological … Read more
Kshetrarama Maha Vihara (also known as Kekirideniya Pansala) (Sinhala: ක්ෂේත්රාරාම මහා විහාරය හෝ කැකිරිදෙනිය පන්සල) is a historic Buddhist temple situated in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. It is located in the Lakshapathiya area, approximately 1.2 km (0.75 mi) from the Katubedda junction on Colombo-Galle main road (A2). The temple has been formally recognized by the Government … Read more
Kuragala (Sinhala: කූරගල) is a pre-historic archaeological site consisting of an early human settlement during the late Pleistocene period and ruins of ancient Buddhist Cave temple complex, dating back to the 2nd century BC, in Balangoda, Sri Lanka. The temple complex is located on the Balangoda – Kaltota road (B38) approximately 24 km (15 mi) … Read more
Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka. It is believed to be the site of Gautama Buddha’s first visit to the country and is one of the Solosmasthana, the 16 sacred religious locations in Sri Lanka. Currently, this temple has been declared as one of the archaeological sites in … Read more
The Maligawila Buddha statue is a standing figure of the Buddha in Sri Lanka, which was carved out of a large limestone rock during the 7th century by a prince named Aggabodhi. It is the tallest free-standing ancient statue of the Buddha found in the country. It had been broken into several pieces by the … Read more
Matara Bodhiya is a sacred fig tree in Matara, Sri Lanka. Its origin can be traced back to a tragic story centered on King Kumara Dharmasena or Kumaradhatusena son of King Kasyapa of Sigiriya (512-522 AD) and his closet friend, Kalidasa, a famous dramatist, and poet. According to the tale the king whilst in the … Read more
Madiliya Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya (temple on pillars) hidden away in the middle of picturesque paddy fields between Aranayake and Hemmathagama in Rambukkana. One of the unique features a visitor could observe today at this temple is the Tampita Vihara Ge. Tampita Vihara was a popular architectural feature … Read more
Menik Vehera (also written as Manik Vehera) is situated within close proximity to Yatala Stupa but not large in size. It has been restored in 1894 keeping to the original shape. This stupa is attributed to King Mahanaga. Henry Parker believes that it was constructed by King Dutugemunu. Remains of several ancient buildings are found … Read more
Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara (also known as Mulgirigala Raja Maha Vihara) (Sinhala: මුල්කිරිගල රජමහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple in Mulkirigala, Sri Lanka. It has been built on a 205 m (673 ft) high natural rock, surrounded by another four rocks known as Benagala, Kondagala, Bisogala, and Seelawathiegala. The temple site is located about … Read more
Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple located in the middle of Badulla town in the Badulla District of Uva Province in Sri Lanka. HistoryBuddhists believe that this site has been visited by Gautama Buddha, and it is regarded as one of the Solosmasthana, the 16 sacred places in the country. In the … Read more
Naigala Rajamaha Viharaya (Sinhala: නයිගල රජ මහා විහාරය) is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Weeraketiya, Hambantota District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 2 km (1.2 mi) away from Weeraketiya junction and 8 km (5.0 mi) from the ancient Buddhist temple, Mulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara. This temple has been built according to the Pabbata … Read more
Debarawewa Paschimarama Rajamaha Viharaya is situated on the bank of Kirindi Oya, by the side of the Weerawila-Deberawewa main road. The construction of this temple is attributed to King Mahanaga of the 3rd century BC. This was an important temple, very near the capital city of Ruhuna, which went into obscurity with the change of … Read more
The Pilana Raja Maha Vihara or Pilana Temple is a Buddhist temple in Galle, Sri Lanka. The Chief Incumbent (Chief Priest) is Meepe Wagira Thera. The temple is well known in the southern part of the island for its historical Perahera festival. LocationThe Pilana Raja Maha Vihara is located in the Galle District, near the … Read more
Sambodhi Chaithya (also sometimes called Buddha Jayanthi Chaithya) is a stupa, a Buddhist shrine, built with reinforced concrete. The stupa is located in Colombo Harbour, Sri Lanka. It was designed by renowned Sri Lankan engineer A. N. S. Kulasinghe and construction began in 1956 to commemorate the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi by the Colombo Port Commission and … Read more
Samudrasanna Vihara ( Sinhala: සමුද්රාසන්න විහාරය) is a historic Buddhist temple situated at Mount-Lavinia in the Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is located near to the Templers Road junction on the Colombo-Galle main road. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared on … Read more
Seema Malaka (Sinhala: සීමා මාලකය) is a Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The temple is mainly used for meditation and rest, rather than for worship. Situated in the Beira Lake, the temple was originally constructed in the late 19th century. Seema Malaka is a part of the Gangaramaya Temple and is situated a few … Read more
Siri Perakumba Pirivena ( Sinhala: සිරි පැරකුම්බා පිරිවෙණ) is a historic Buddhist temple situated in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Western province, Sri Lanka. It is located at the entrance to Ethul Kotte on Sri Jayawardenepura Mawatha Road (B240). The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation … Read more
Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist monastery located in Hambantota District, South Eastern Sri Lanka. Situated 18 km east of the pilgrimage town Katharagama, it is believed to have been built in the 2nd century B.C. by King Kavantissa. Sithulpawwa Vihara can be reached by traveling 18 miles along the Tissamaharama-Yodhakandiya road towards the … Read more
Godakawela Sri Mahinda Purana Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya built during the era of the Kandyan kingdom. The temple lies right in the center of Godakawela town between Madampe and Pallebedda. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a number of stone stumps usually … Read more
Sri Pushparama Vihara ( Sinhala: ශ්රී පුෂ්පාරාම විහාරය) is a historic Buddhist temple situated in Ratmalana, Western province, Sri Lanka. It is located at Sri Dharmarama junction on the Colombo-Galle main road. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared on 23 February … Read more