Hidden amid towering granite boulders, Yatagala Raja Maha Viharaya is a tranquil sanctuary of faith and history. Home to an ancient Bodhi Tree and a 27-meter (18-riyan) reclining Buddha, this sacred site blends natural beauty with centuries of Buddhist devotion.
Wewurukannala Viharaya is home to Sri Lanka’s tallest seated Buddha, a 160-foot marvel as high as an eight-story building. This unique temple features a vivid “Tunnel of Hell” with life-sized models illustrating karmic punishments, along with 18th-century murals and a functioning 1920s precision clock in its museum.
Bastian Jayawardena who had escorted Ehelapola Maha Adikaram to Mauritius is the builder of this Wasala Walawwa during the first decade of the 20th Century.
Walalgoda Purana Tampita Viharaya is one of the few Tampita Temples surviving today. The unique feature of the Tampita Viharaya is that the image house is built above the ground level.
Vijithapura Raja Maha Viharaya is believed to be built on the winning grounds of the last battle of King Dutugemunu against the Tamil Invader Elara.
Vihārahinnā is a secluded jungle ruin featuring an ancient image house, stone pillars, and a damaged Buddha statue. Linked to King Duṭugemuṇu and Queen Vihāra Mahā Devī, it remains a site of local worship, with inscriptions, artifacts, and sacred siripāthula carvings hidden in the forest.
Varana Rajamaha Viharaya had first come into existence as a meditation centre and its origins date back to the time of King Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura
Standing tall at Paraliya, the Tsunami Honganji Buddha Statue is a powerful symbol of remembrance and resilience. Built to honor over 35,000 lives lost in the 2004 tsunami, this 30-meter replica of the ancient Bamiyan Buddha radiates peace and protection across Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
Thonigala in Anamaduwa is popular for the massive Thonigala inscriptions found on the rock and the folklore surrounding the rock and Kuweni (කුවේණි), the local queen of Vijaya.
Thiruketheeswaram kovil is an ancient hindu temple in Manthota, about seven miles north of the Mannar Town. According to legend, it was at this ancient temple that Kethu Bhagavan worshiped Lord Siva.
The Tissa Wewa is one of the largest ancient irrigation tanks constructed the 3rd Century is considered the first Oblique Dam in the world
Historical evidence suggests that Talaguru Rajamaha Viharaya’s origins trace back to the reign of King Saddhatissa (137–119 BCE). The Rasavahini chronicle records that Arahant Dhammadinna Thero resided here and preached the Satipatthana Sutta to a group of fruit bats (kiri-vavula). It is said that the bats attained Arahantship, passed away, and were reborn in the surrounding area.
Thanthirimale Rajamaha Viharaya is a 3rd-century BCE monastery near Anuradhapura, famous for its 2,300-year-old Bodhi tree and massive rock-carved Buddhas. This 250-acre sanctuary features a 45-foot reclining statue, ancient meditation caves with Brahmi inscriptions, and an ancient library, all set within a serene, boulder-strewn forest landscape.
This massive Tissamaharama Stupa (Tissamaharamaya) is believed to be built by King Mahanaga in the 3rd century BC or King Kavanthissa in the 1st century BC and is the largest stupa in the ancient southern kingdom.
Sthreepura Cave is a hardly explored cave near Batatota Lena and is believed to have housed the queens of King Walagamba during his stay at the Batatota cave
No matter what religion you follow, Thalawila St. Anne’s Church in is one of the most ancient and wonderful of all Christian shrines in Sri Lanka.
The present Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Raja Maha Viharaya has a long history dating back to the Dutch period. The viharaya has become famous for its paintings, wood carvings and statues. %
Nillakgama Bodhigaraya is the best preserved Bodhigara ( Bo-Tree house) in the country built during Anuradhapura Era. Believed to be built in the 8-9th centuary this is a completely built with granite
The Tomb of Sitawaka Rajasinhe who died in 1591 lies on the Avissawella – Amithrigala road close to the main road. The king died by a poison of a thorn of the Bamboo Grove,
The History of Nedun Raja Maha Viharaya (Nadun Raja Maha Viharaya) go back to the era of King Rajasinghe I of Sitawaka Kingdom (1581 – 1591).The temple houses a long pair of tusks which is said to be the longest in Asia
