Agalakada Dharmarakshitha Purana Viharaya has been built by Agalabada Dharmarakshitha Thero with a Tampita Viharaya during the reign of king Kirthi Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781). This temple lie between Akuressa and Morawaka, 5.5 km off Akuressa town and 21 km off Morawaka. To reach Agalakada Dharmarakshitha Ancient Temple from Akuressa take to Pitabeddara road … Read more
Traveling through Meegahakivula towards Mahiyanganaya and 2km past B86 road (Dambagahapitiya – Pinnagolla – Arawa – Meegahakiula road) a minor road to the right will take you to the Alakolagoba Purana Viharaya. Granite pillar stumps of what had been the base of a Tampita Viharaya can be seen at this temple and two guard stones … Read more
Alkegama Sri Jayawardanarama Viharaya lies in the Makehelwala area between Mawanella and Kadugamuwa. At the ancient temple at Alkegama, a preserved Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era can be found. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform that rests on a number of stone stumps usually 3-4 feet tall. The … Read more
Alugalgelena (Alugalge Lena) is an ancient monastery lying on the banks of Hulandawa Oya near Maligawila. A single dwelling built under an ancient rock cave is occupied by a single monk. The Administration Report of the Archaeological Commissioner for the years 1970-1977 reports the investigation of the cave at the foot of the “Alugalge Kanda” … Read more
Aluthwela Thibbatuwawa Purana Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple with a probable history going back to Anuradhapura kingdom just 2.5 km off the Sella Kataragama – Buttala road with an ancient Na Bodhiya and a Tampita Viharaya belonging to the Kandyan Era. Among the ruins scattered around the temple is an ancient Sri Pathul Gala. … Read more
Kotavehera in Aluthwewa village belongs to the Divisional Secretariat Division of the Monaragala District of the Uva Province. A small stupa and remains of a retaining wall around the stupa located on a rock platform are found on this site. Near the Dagoba is a circle carved on the rock of about 3½ feet in … Read more
Mountains have always fascinated human imagination. And there we were gazing up at the wooded hill in front of us just a few minute’s drive from the city of Colombo. This was the Ambulgama Raja Maha Viharaya. Vaguely we could make out a series of lines or where the natural rock curved protectively to make … Read more
The origin of the Sri Danthapaya Rajamaha Viharaya at Ambulugala can be traced back to King Parakramabahu VI (1411-1463) who is considered the last king to bring the country under one rule. According to a plate given to a person called Himi Bandara by the Buvanekabahu VI (Sapumal Kumaraya), the temple has been constructed as … Read more
Ampitiya Rajamaha Viharaya lies 25kms away from Badulla on the hills of Namunukula. The temple was established some 200 years ago but there are ruins indicating a history going as far as King Walagamba ( 1st century).
Angaligala (also known as Anjaleehela, Anjalihela, Anjaleegala) is a Buddhist temple of the ancient Magama Kingdom lying in the picturesque remote village of Debarahela. The new temple as well as the ruins of the ancient temple lie on a rocky plain extending from north to south. Traveling from Thanamalwila towards Weerawila you will come across … Read more
Arambegama Sri Sudassanarama Purana Viharaya is a temple lying in Arambegama belonging to Pitiyegama Grama Niladhari Division in Rambukkana. To reach the temple, take the road towards Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage from Kandy Road. Travel for 3.5 km until you reach Hiriwadunna junction (before the orphanage) and take the left turn towards Naranbedda. Travel on this … Read more
Asmadala Tampita Viharaya lies in the ancient Sugatha Bimbarama Viharaya, hidden in the remote village of Asmadala between Ussapitiya and Hettimulla in the Kegalle District. Asmadala is a mountainous area in the Kegalle District. Urakanda and Wakirigala can be seen in the background of the village. The village is still thriving, with lush green paddy … Read more
The two-storied Attanagoda Tampita Viharaya (Aththanagoda Tampita Viharaya) lies close to the more popular Ambulugala Rajamaha Viharaya. Traveling about 5km from Kegalle towards Kandy up to Molagoda and taking a right turn and traveling a further 5km on the by-roads will bring you the ancient Attanagoda Rajamaha Viharaya. The Tampita Viharaya at the temple is … Read more
Balapokuna Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhala: බලපොකුණ රජ මහා විහාරය) is a historic Buddhist temple situated in Pamankada, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is located near the 6th-mile post junction on Colombo-Batticaloa main road. The temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared on 6 … Read more
Bandagiriya forms the highest point in Hambantota District. Located at its summit is the ancient Bandagiriya Vihara (temple). In Dathuwamsa, one of the ancient chronicles of Sri Lankan history, it is mentioned that this temple was built by King Kawantissa in the 2nd century BC. The name is also mentioned in ancient graffiti discovered in … Read more
Beligala Sri Vijaya Sundararama Rajamaha Viharaya popularly known as Beligala Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple lying between Alawwa and Nelundeniya in the Kegalle District. According to historical records, Beligala Temple is one of the places where the first 32 shoots of the Sri Maha Bodhi (Dethispala Maha Bodhi) were planted which dates this temple … Read more
Beligammana Raja Maha Vihara (also known as Beligammana Pothgul Vihara) is a Buddhist temple situated in Mawanella, Kegalle District, Sri Lanka. It lies on the Colombo – Kandy main road, approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) away from Mawanella town. Constructed in the early part of the 19th century, this temple is presently declared an archaeological … Read more
Bentota is a resort town on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast. Its long Bentota Beach stretches north, where it becomes a sandy strip known as Paradise Island, parallel to Bentota Lagoon. Even though this town is now best known for its beaches, the history of this town goes as far as the 2nd century BC and … Read more
Bibilemulla Rajamaha Viharaya is an ancient temple complex hidden between Bibile and Monaragala. The current temple is believed to be built by King Keerthi Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781) of Kandyan Kingdom. But the history of the temple had been much longer considering the granite pillars at the site. The ancient Discourse Room and Buddha … Read more
The Bodhi Sameepa Viharaya is the place where a secondary Bodhi Tree was located, Vanawasa Rajamaha Viharaya is where the Bikkus residential ‘Kuti’ were located, Bodhimalu Rajamaha Viharaya is where the sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi was planted, the main image house and the relics of Maha Kasyapa Thero were enshrined at Galapatha Viharaya … Read more
Buddama Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhalaː බුද්දම රජ මහා විහාරය) is a historic Cave temple in Buddama village, Monaragala district, Sri Lanka. Buddama is a rural village lying off Siyambalanduwa town and is known as one of the earliest settlements in the country. Currently, the temple has been formally recognized by the Government as an archaeological … Read more
Budugallena is an ancient monastery complex lying deep inside the jungle of the Rahathungala mountain range near Buttala. This complex has been called Konketiya Viharaya in the past but had been abandoned with people migrating elsewhere. In the 1970s parts of this massive complex has been cleared and some caves have been used for meditation … Read more
Buduruwagala is an ancient Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. The complex consists of seven statues and belongs to the Mahayana school of thought. The statues date back to the 10th century. The gigantic Buddha statue still bears traces of its original stuccoed robe and a long streak of orange suggests it was once brightly painted. … Read more
Burunnewa Sri Nagarukkarama Tampita Viharaya is an ancient temple hidden away in the middle of picturesque paddy fields between Ambepussa and Nelumdeniya. 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 of temples during the Kandyan era. The temple … Read more
This stupa has been built by King Parakramabahu the Great ( 1153-1186) as a memorial to the location he was born. In 1070 Prince Vijayabahu defeated the Chola invaders who ruled Polonnaruwa and brought the country under a single ruler. While he made his capital Polonnaruwa, his sister Mitta’s son Manabharana was appointed as a … Read more
En route to the Kirinda Temple lies an archaeological site known as the Dalada Viharaya. A conserved stupa surrounded by a few granite monoliths and some other ruins can be found at this site.
The erection of a temple and a stupa (dagoba) above the tank and the location of the village and the paddy fields below the tank was the traditional architectural design of villages which was mainly based on the tank. Villagers walked to the temple through the bund of the tank and they were able to … Read more
Dampahala Vilayaya (Wilayaya) Purana Viharaya is an ancient temple in Matara district with a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. This temple lies between Pasdgoda and Urubokka and is 9 km off Pasdgoda, 6.5 km off Urubokka, and 22 km from Deniyaya. It is said that the paddy fields close to the temple had … Read more
Danagirigala Rajamaha Viharaya lies on a remote picturesque mountain off Mawanella. The temple is believed to be built by King Walagamba during the 1st century. The rock inscriptions at the site date this temple complex to a period even before – the pre-Christian era. To reach the temple you need to climb 367 granite steps. … Read more
Dankumbura Purana Gallen Rajamaha Viharaya is considered one of the major Buddhist temples in the Mahiyangana area in ancient Ceylon. This ancient cave temple lies on the Bibile and Padiyathalawa close to Ekiriyakumbura. The roots of the temple believed to be going as far as King Walagamba (89-77 BC) have been neglected by authorities and … Read more