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
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
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).
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
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
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
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
Dematamal Viharaya is a Buddhist temple in Okkampitiya village, Monaragala district, Sri Lanka. The Stupa of Dematamal Viharaya is considered as one of the oldest Stupas in Sri Lanka built in the 2nd Century BC. According to folklore, it is the place that provided safety to Prince Saddhatissa, who was attempting to flee after losing … Read more
Thanamalwila Devram Vehera Rajamaha Viharaya is one of the hundreds of ancient temples belonging to the Magama Kingdom lying in the Hambantota District. As with many others, the archaeological value of the temple has been long neglected and is bound to disappear soon. A preserved ancient stupa with a diameter of approximately 40 meters and … Read more
Dhowa Rock Temple or Dowa Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: දෝව රජ මහා විහාරය) is a heritage listed rock temple in Sri Lanka, located in the central mountains of the Uva Province. It is adjacent to Dhowa, a small village situated on the Badulla-Bandarawela main road (approximately 7.5 km (4.7 mi) north of Bandarawela). The temple … Read more
Edagala Forest Hermitage is situated at an ancient cave temple site on the Udawalawe – Thanamalwila Road. The hermitage has been so named due to a bed carved on a rock underneath a cave. Drip ledges have been carved on all the caves of this hermitage, an indication that this site has been occupied 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Unawatuna is a small town on the Wellawaya – Buttala road belonging to the Buttala Divisional Secretary’s Division. There are several folklore regarding how this area got its name. One folklore goes back to the time of King Mahanaga who ruled the Rohana kingdom in the 3rd century BC. It’s said that King Mahanaga built … Read more
Six kilometers from Badalkumbura towards Buttala lies the ancient Veheragoda Purana Rajamaha Viharaya. The most significant building of the temple is the ancient Budu Ge (image house) built during the Kandyan era. Although quite small, this image house looks like an art gallery in a time capsule. The entrance to the image house is made … Read more
Kutumbala Rajamaha Viharaya in Yatiyallathota in Buttala is an ancient temple scatted with ruins of the ancient civilization in Rohana. The history of this temple goes back to the period of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC). The second queen of King Devanampiyatissa had been scheming to kill the heir apparent, sub-king Mahanaga to make way for … Read more