Muhudu Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple located in the Ampara District of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.  According to the historical evidence, the history of this temple goes back to the reign of King Kavantissa (205-161 B.C.). The temple is located on the Potuvil coast and it is believed to be the place where Viharamahadevi,  the daughter of King Kelani Tissa was landed as said in the legend. External Links මුහුදු මහ විහාරයේ අද කතාව – Silumina Muhudu Maha Vihara – Department of Archaeology Three women in Sinhala history – The Island Read more...

The Udawalawa National Park is very popular among visitors for Sri Lankan elephants. Visitors can see elephants at any time of the day. The park was declared as a national park in 1972 and it covers about 30,821 hectares of land. It lies in the Monaragala District of Uva Province and Ratnapura District of Sabaragamuwa Province. Animal Life Grizzled Giant Squirrel   Elephants Buffalos Birds Udawalawa Reservoir Udawalawa Reservoir External Links Department of Wildlife Conservation > National Parks Map of Protected Areas in Sri Lanka   Read more...

The Lovamahapaya is one of the Eight Sacred places known as “Atamasthana” and it is located in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. When you walk towards Ruwanweliseya from Sri Maha Bodhiya, The Lovamahapaya can be seen on your right-hand side. According to the Mahawamsa, the Lowamahapaya was a nine-story building and It was built by the King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC). You can read more about this place by visiting the external links given below. Photo Credit:  Balou46, ChampikaG External Links: King Dutugemunu’s gracious gift to Maha Sangha The Entrance Into the Tusita-Heaven Read more...

The Sorabora Wewa is an ancient reservoir located in Mahiyanganaya in Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. The history of this reservoir goes back to the reign of King Dutugemunu (161 BC – 137 BC).  The tank is believed to be built by a giant named “Bulatha”. Enter your current location in the search box below the map to find the best route to the Sorabora Wewa. Click here to find a list of accommodations around Mahiyanganaya, Sri Lanka.   External Links සොරබොර වැව නුදුටු ඇස්‌ මොටද පින්කළේ Read more...

The Jathika Namal Uyana is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province. This can be accessed through Madatugama Pubbogama Andiyagala road and 6.5km away from the Kandy-Jaffna Highway (see the below map for exact location). This is the largest ironwood forest in Sri Lanka and where Asia’s largest rose quartz mountain is located in. The Jathika Namal Uyana had been a sanctuary for Buddhist monks during the era of King Devanampiyatissa. Later it had been used as a prison camp where the punishment was to plant Na trees.   External Links Mother Nature’s wonderful creation Jathika Namal Uyana Sri Read more...

The Jetavanaramaya is one of the Eight Sacred places known as “Atamasthana”. It is located in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The Jetavanarama Stupa was built by King Mahasen (276-303).   During the reign of King Mahasen, this has become a center of Sagalika sect (also it is said that the Sagalika sect has started in Jetavanaramaya). This stupa was rehabilitated for the last time by King Parakramabahu in the 12th century. It is believed that this stupa has enshrined a part of a sash or belt tied by the Lord Buddha. Read more...

The Sankapala Raja Maha Viharaya is located in the Ratnapura District of Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. According to rock inscription found here, the history of this temple goes back to the reign of King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC). As said by the legends, there had been Ten Giants in king Dutugemunu’s troops. The giant Pussadeva is one of them who had a special skill of blowing conch shells (“Sankha” in Sinhala) so loudly. The symbol of the giant was also the conch shell itself. After winning the Vijithapura war, the king Dutugemunu has offered this area to the Pussadeva giant. Later, he has Read more...

Atadage was constructed by King Vijayabahu I to place the Sacred Tooth Relic in the 11th century. It is located in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name “Atadage” has the meaning of “house of eight relics”.  What remains here today are the foundation and 54 stone pillars. The Tooth Relic has been kept on the upper floor made out of wood on top of these stone pillars.   External Links Journey of the Sacred Tooth Relic In Sri Lanka   Read more...

“Kuttam Pokuna” or “Twin Ponds” is a unique creation of ancient architecture and considered as one of the significant achievements in hydrological engineering in ancient Sri Lanka. The pond is located in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in North Central Province, Sri Lanka.  As the name suggests, there are two ponds in this creation. It has been identified that these ponds were used to collect water for the Abhayagiri Vihara monks to bath. The two ponds are not identical and also one seems to be older than the other. The width of the ponds is the same and it is Read more...

Tivanka Image House is identified as the image house of Jetavanaramaya Monastery built by the King Parakramabahu the Great (1153 – 1186). It is located in the main archaeological site of Polonnaruwa District in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name Tivanka (means three bends) is given due to its giant Buddha image is bent at three places, namely shoulder, hip, and knee. The image house is famous due to the paintings on its interior walls. The paintings belong to the 12th century and they depict certain incidents from Jataka Stories and the life of Buddha. Like Thuparamaya and Lankathilaka, this image Read more...

The Adisham Bungalow or Adisham Hall is located about 3km away from Haputale town, Badulla district. It is a  monastery run by Benedictine Monks. The bungalow attracts every eye that falls on it. This place was created by Sir Thomas Lister Villiers, came to Ceylon as a trainee on Elbedde Estate, Bogawantalawa. Visit http://www.adisham.org for more information. Read more...

The Mirisaweti Stupa is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province. The stupa has been built by the king Dutugemunu (161BC – 137BC) after defeating South Indian invader king Elara. According to the legends, one day the King Dutugemunu had gone to Tissa Wewa for a bath leaving the scepter here. Once he returns to the scepter, it is said that it could not be moved from that place. As a result, the King has constructed this Stupa on the place where the scepter stuck. It is also said that it had been a practice of the King Dutugemununu Read more...

Kandy Lake (Bogambara Weva) is located in the heart of the Kandy City next to Sri Dalanda Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth). It was built in 1807 by king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.   Read more...

The  Gal Oya National Park is located in Monaragala District of Uva Province in Sri Lanka. It was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. The park is administrated by the  Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Gal Oya National Park is spread over 259km2. The park is mainly famous due to its elephants, where you can see them throughout the year. The place where the Gal Oya falls to the Senanayake Samudraya is called Makara (See the gallery). In this place, the Gal Oya disappears under huge rocks. According to legend, the original Read more...

The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens are located in the Kandy District of Central Province, Sri Lanka. The garden is spread over 147 acres. The origin of the garden date back to 1371, the reign of King Wickramabahu III. The garden has more than 4000 species of plants including orchid, spices, medicinal etc… External Links Department of Trade, Commerce & Tourism, Central Province Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife Department of National Botanical Gardens Read more...

The Bahirawakanda Buddha Statue can be seen from many places of the Kandy City. The statue is 88 feet in height. The temple is located 1km away from the Kandy Clock tower (2km away from Sri Dalanda Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic)). Read more...

Henarathgoda Botanical Garden (or Gampaha Botanic Garden) is one of the five botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. The garden is located in the Gampaha District of Western Province, Sri Lanka and it is only 30km away from Pettah. It was established in the year 1876 by the British in order to conduct experiments on exotic economic plants. The first imported rubber tree to Sri Lanka was planted in this garden. The garden is now owned and maintained by the Department of National Botanic Gardens, Sri Lanka. it is spread over 43 acres and now it serves as a tropical low country Botanic Garden. Read more...

This was a 7 storeyed building with about 1000 rooms, built by the King Parakramabahu the Great (1153-1186). It is located in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. This place is considered to be the Palace of King Parakramabahu the Great. The Palace was called as Vijayotpaya or Vijayanta Prasada (the name of the Palace of God Sakra). Since it has consisted of 7 stories, the building also called “Sathbumupaya” (in Sinhala).  The remaining huge walls with thickness over one meter and part of stairs and the foundation walls give you an idea about the size of the building. Read more...

The Girihandu Seya stupa is located in Thiriyaya in Trincomalee District of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. According to the legend, this is the stupa mentioned in the story of Thapassu and Bhalluka two traders. As such, it is considered to be the first Stupa built by enshrining the relic of Lord Buddha and probably it was built around 528 B.C. The stupa was originally a small in size and had been renovated in the 8th century A.D. The Vatadage encircling stupa was built during the renovation. External Links Thiriyaya Girihandu Seya Thiriyaya – Department of Archaeology Read more...

The Lankaramaya Stupa is one of the Eight Sacred places known as “Atamasthana”. The stupa was built during the 1st century B.C. by King Walagamba (89 B.C. – 77 B.C.). It is located in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. According to chronicales, this place was also known by the names Silasobbakandaka and Galhebakada.  Initially, this stupa was known as Somarama Stupa in commemoration of Queen Soma who saved the life of the king. There are three rows of stone pillars that can be seen around the stupa and it is evident that there had been a house Read more...

Nalanda Gedige is a building completely built with stone located in Matale District of Central Province Sri Lanka. The building was estimated to have been constructed between the 8th & 10th centuries and has the influence of the Pallava architecture. The building has designed like a Hindu temple. However, the building said to have been used as a temple by Buddhists. The building has richly decorated with stone carvings. Front View Rear View Pavilion Entrance Rock Carvings at Nalanda Gedige   This slideshow requires JavaScript. Read more...

Samadhi Buddha Statue is a sitting Buddha’s statue and it is considered as one of the best sculpture created during the Anuradhapura era. It is located in Anuradhapura district of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The statue with the height of 7 feet and 3 inches has made with dolomite marble. In this statue, the Buddha is depicted in the position of the Dhyana Mudra, the posture of meditation associated with his first Enlightenment. Some scholars say Samadhi statue belongs to 3rd century BC and others say it belongs to 2nd or 3rd century AD.   External Links Iconographic Feature of the Buddha’s Read more...

This monastic hospital is located in the Alahana Piriwena premises of the main archaeological site in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The archaeological excavations have confirmed this building as a monastic hospital constructed in the 12th century. A medicine trough (Behet Oruva)made of stone is still can be seen in one room. This medicine trough had been used for treating patients by immersing in herbal oil. Several surgical and medical instruments also have been discovered during the excavations at this site. There are two main sections in this building namely living and treatment sections. Both sections have open courts Read more...

Sigiriya is one of the best preserved examples which depict the engineering skills of ancient era of Sri Lanka. It is located in Matale district of Central Province, Sri Lanka. Today Sigiriya is one of the UNESCO listed World Heritage Site of Sri Lanka.   Sigiri Wall Paintings Mirror Wall (Kadapath Paura) Sinha Padaya Sigiriya Rock External Links SigiriyaTourism.com World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka Read more...