Elamaldeniya Raja Maha Viharaya lies about 18km away from Morawaka town and 8 km away from Pitabeddara Town. The Temple built during the 2nd century BC is on a rocky hill isolated from human habitation and is attributed to King Saddhatissa ( 137-119 BC ) of the Anuradhapura Era. The temple has been built by … Read more
The Banlangoda Pinnawela Elugala Rajamaja Viharaya is an ancient Tampita Temple in the Kanathiriyanwela village. Believed to be connected to King Vatta Gamini Abaya, better known as King Walagamba (103 BC – 89 BC) this temple has been seen the patronage of King Mayadunne (1521-1581), Seetawaka Rajasinhe (1581 – 1591?) and many kings of the … Read more
Many of the rivers flowing through our country have been named in Pali, as mentioned in our chronicles such as the Mahavamsa, and Culavamsa. Among them is the Bentota Benthara River flowing through the deep south. About 38 miles away from the Colombo-Galle-Matara highway, this river is named Culavamsa (Part 1) as Bhimathitha. It is … Read more
Galenda Rajamaha Rajamaha Viharaya at Ambalantota is an ancient temple that has been forgotten by the general public for centuries. Only the fallen rock pillars which once proudly held Buddhist buildings now bear witness to the antiquity of the temple. A pair of splendidly carved Gurard Stone (Muragala) lies on the ground for weather-worn for … Read more
Ahungalla Galvehera Maluwa Temple is a recently renovated abandoned temple in the Galviharaya Area of Ahungalla. After hundreds of years of neglect, the residents have cleared the area and re-established the temple. When King Mahanaga was ruling the Ruhuna region around the 3rd century BC, the Maduganga has been called Weliganga ( Sandy River) and … Read more
Gatabaru Raja Maha Viharaya (Getabaru Raja Maha Viharaya) is on a mountaintop on the Akuressa – Deniyaya Road (A17) between Morawaka and Deniyaya. Until recently this temple has been rather neglected due to the rough terrain of the location. But now a good tar road has been built from the bottom of the mountain to … Read more
As you travel passing Nonagama Junction in Ambalantota, just before the bridge over the Walawe River, you will find the Girihandu Rajamaha Viharaya of Ambalantota. The temple is believed to be built by King Devanapiyatissa in the 2nd century BC. Due to its current name, some believe that the hair relics of Buddha brought by … Read more
Walagamba Purana Viharaya in Gonaganara in Buttala is an ancient temple scatted with ruins of the ancient civilization in the Rohana area. The temple is hidden deep inside Buttala on the Sella Kataragama road. The turn-off to the temple is 14.5 km from Buttala and 25 km from Sella Kataragama. A small board indicates this … Read more
Gondiwala Purana Tampita Viharaya is reachable from Kegalle – Mawanella road. Passing Uthuwankana junction and then the Uthuwankana Catholic Church take the left turn to Weganthale road from the Kondeniya Junction and travel about 1 km to reach the temple. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a … Read more
Veheragala Archaeological Site lies in the temple complex known as the Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya in the area known as Bodagama on the Udawalawe and Thanamalwila Road. This is a site now preserved by the Department of Archaeology and covers a considerable area. ‘Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon’ by C.W. Nicholas published in 1963 … Read more
Peellawela Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple in the Hakuruwela area in Weeraketiya, Hambantota district. Among the buildings of this temple is a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. However, the presence of Siri Pathul Gal (blocks of rock carved with a footprint of Buddha) which were objects of veneration in the 2-3rd … Read more
Built during King Devanapiyatissa’s era (250-210 BC), Buttala Happoruwa Purana Viharaya (Hathporuwa Purana Viharaya) is an ancient temple on the Sella Kataragama – Buttala road. According to historical records, when the sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi of India was planted in Anuradhapura Mahamevuna Uyana, 8 offshoots sprung from it and they were planted in … Read more
Hathagala Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple in the Southern province lying between Hungama and Nonagama along the Matara – Hambantota road. Today this temple is also a pirivena providing education to Buddhist monks. Much of the history of this temple is lost in time, but the temple has received royal patronage from King … Read more
The ruins at the deserted Helamulla Degalhela Viharaya at the foot of the Degalhela Rock are another unexplored and unknown ancient Buddhist site in Siyambalanduwa. Degalhela has been so named due to the two fused rocks which make the Degalhela mountain range. The Helamulla Degalhela temple lies at the foot of the mountain and is … Read more
Hingula Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple with a Tampita Viharaya hidden just a kilometer away from the Kandy Road and 5 km from the Mawanella in Kegalle District. To reach the temple travel 4.3 km from Mawanella junction towards Kandy and take the right turn onto Aluthnuwara Road. Take the narrow concrete laid road … Read more
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
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
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
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
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