(3 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading...
Galgamuwa Purana Viharaya is an ancient temple built during the Kandyan kingdom lying in Alawwa Divisional Secretary’s Division in Galgamuwa, Maharachchimulla. This temple is also known as “Maharachchimulla Viharaya” or “Tampitagoda Viharaya”. This temple lies about 5 km off Matiyagane between Dambadeniya and Narammala. From Dambadeniya travel towards Narammala up to Matiyagane (4 km) and take Maharachchimulla Road on the right. Continue on this road to 2.7 km and the road folks into 2 and take the right lane. After about 2 km you will come across the Galgamuwa Reservoir by the road. Halfway past the reservoir there is a by-lane to the right next to a co-op city building. The temple lies 300 m down this road.
This temple hides a Tampita Viharaya built during the Kandyan era. A Tampita Viharaya is a structure built on a wooden platform which rests on a number of stone stumps usually 3-4 feet tall. The roof is held by a structure built of timber and the walls are generally made of wattle and daub. The walls inside the chamber is more or less always covered in murals drawn mainly in Kandyan style.
The Tampita Viharaya at the Galgamuwa Purana Viharaya is built on 20 granite stumps. A circumambulating path is built around the image house. The roof is tiled with typical Kandyan-era flat clay tiles. A granite Sandakada Pahana (moonstone) lies at the entrance to the structure. Two guardian deities stand guard at the entrance to the image house. A seated and a standing Buddha lies in the Image House chamber. The walls are filled with murals drawn in Kandyan style.
This Tampita Viharaya has been declared as a protected archaeological monument in the gazette issued on 23 February 2007 and is described as “Tampita Vihara in the premises of Tampitagoda Vihara in Galgamuwa South Grama Niladhari Division in Alawwa Divisional Secretariat Division, Kurunegala District, North Western Province.”
by Department of Archaeology
Also See
- Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
- Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Map of the Dambadeniya Galgamuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya
The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites
Zoom out the map to see more surrounding locations using the mouse scroll wheel or map controls.
Driving Directions to Dambadeniya Galgamuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya
| Route from Giriulla to Dambadeniya Galgamuwa Purana Tampita Viharaya |
| Though : Dambadeniya – Metiyagane – Galgamuwa Reservoir Bund road distance : 15 km Travel time :40 mins Time to spend : 20-30 mins Driving directions : see on google map |
0-09 m (80) 10-19 m (69) 20-29 m (42) 30-39 m (47) 40-49 m (23) 50-99 m (43) Ambalama (152) Ancient Anicuts (31) Ashtapala Bodhi (5) Attraction Article (3) Attractions (197) Beaches (6) Biosphere Reserves (3) Botanical Gardens (3) Bridges (34) Caving (4) Church (6) Cities (9) Destinations (16) Dethis Pala Bodhi (15) Devalaya (41) Flora and Fauna (43) Forts (48) Heritage (1602) Heritage Article (28) Historic Events (5) History (7) Hot Springs (9) Hydro Heritage (85) Irrigation Article (4) Islands (15) Kovil (25) Lighthouses (27) Memorials (28) Mile Posts (6) Mosque (3) Museums (8) National Parks (22) over 100 m (15) Pabbatha Vihara (10) Personalities (7) Pillar/Slab Inscriptions (35) Pre Historic Burial Sites (18) Prehistory (37) Ravana (12) Reservoirs (44) Ruins in Wilpattu (5) Ruins in Yala (24) Santuaries (7) Sluice Gates (11) Stone Bridges (18) Strict Nature Reserves (3) Survey Towers (13) Tampita Vihara (238) Travel (3) View Points (9) Walawwa (12) Waterfalls (375) Wildlife Article (24) Yathuru Pokuna (4)
Abhayagiri Monastery (19) Ampara District (191) Anuradhapura District (194) Avissawella (4) Badulla (2) Badulla District (105) Batticaloa District (19) Buttala (2) Colombo (5) Colombo District (62) Dambulla (4) Delft (5) Galle (1) Galle District (56) Gampaha District (47) Hambantota (4) Hambantota District (99) India (1) Jaffna (7) Jaffna District (54) Kalutara District (47) Kandy District (177) Kegalle District (146) Kilinochchi District (9) Kingdom of Anuradhapura (80) Kingdom of Kandy (14) Kingdom of Kotte (9) Kingdom of Polonnaruwa (55) Kurunegala (5) Kurunegala District (110) Maha Vihara (14) Mannar District (47) Mannar Island (10) Matale (3) Matale District (63) Matara District (26) Mihintale (22) Monaragala (5) Monaragala District (70) Mullaitivu District (19) Nuwara Eliya (7) Nuwara Eliya District (108) Panama (1) Polonnaruwa District (107) Puttalam District (24) RAMSAR site (1) Ratnapura (4) Ratnapura District (142) Tissamaharama (2) Trincomalee (7) Trincomalee District (43) Vavuniya District (27) waterfalls in Sinharaja (3) Wellawaya (6)