At the base of this massive Omunugala (Omuna) rock in the middle of the jungles of Mahaoya lie the remains of an ancient monastery, likely dating back to the pre-Christian era. Later, this area was also home to a thriving Vedda community, which has since disappeared.
The Gamagala rocky formation extends approximately 500 meters in length and contains around 20 cave shelters. Some of these caves show recent human use, as evidenced by wattle and daub walls enclosing their entrances. However, five particular caves hold archaeological significance.
Na Maluwa (Namaluwa) archaeological site is an ancient aramic complex off Lahugala in Mahakalugolla on the banks of Heda Oya. A large Stupa and numours artifacts can be fould at this site.
Sri Bodhimalu Rajamaha Viharaya in Monaragala is a little-known ancient temple going back to the 3rd century with 2 interesting caves, stone pillars of ancient buildings, and an ancient stupa.
The temple’s grounds cover a vast area of about eighty acres, which has been officially allocated to the Department of Archaeology due to its historical and cultural importance. The site features an ancient stupa measuring 21 cubits in height—roughly 31.5 feet. Scattered across the area are remnants of ancient stone pillars that once supported now-vanished structures, attesting to the temple’s long and storied past.
The foundations of its ancient buildings lie buried, offering few visible clues. Two undecorated moonstones remain at the site. The one placed at the entrance to the courtyard measures 1.2 meters in diameter. A headless Buddha statue made of crystalline limestone is another surviving artifact.
This ancient rock shelter features a massive cave with two drip ledges (kataram) carved one below the other. Inside, a severely damaged Buddha statue made of brick lies enshrined. The statue measures 34 feet in length, with shoulders spanning 7 feet. Nearby, another cave can be found, measuring 41 feet in width and 40 feet in depth. The drip ledge here is located 10 feet 6 inches above the entrance.
The ancient stupa at Hamina Kanda is so thickly overgrown with forest that its structure is only discernible by the way the earth mounds rise about 40 feet. There is also a cave with a ruined Buddha statue of 18 cubits mostly destroyed by treasure hunters.
The most prominent feature among the Balaharuwa ruins is a large, now-dilapidated stupa with a circumference of approximately 315 feet. What makes this stupa particularly unusual is the presence of eight rows of stone steps embedded directly into its wall—an architectural feature not seen in any other known stupa.
Archaeological findings suggest that Peelekema was once a flourishing Buddhist monastic complex, with origins going back to the 3rd century BCE. This early dating is based on several drip-ledged cave shelters still visible at the site. Stone inscriptions indicate that the monastery had received royal patronage by the 4th century CE.
Located next to the famous Elephant Orphanage, Pinnawala Zoological Gardens is Sri Lanka’s first open-air zoo, designed to let animals roam in spacious, natural habitats. From exotic birds to majestic mammals, it’s a family-friendly destination where wildlife and conservation come together.
Bordering the well-known Nilavarai Bottomless Well (also called the Puttur Well) and the nearby Sivan Kovil lie the little-known ruins of an ancient Buddhist site—one that has faded from public memory but once bore significant religious and historical importance.
The museum houses a rich and varied collection of archaeological and cultural artifacts either discovered in the region or donated by individuals. These include stone sculptures of both Buddhist and Hindu origin, ornaments made of beads, ancient coins, ivory and metal objects, ceramic ware, wooden artifacts, colonial-era gravestones (spanning from the Dutch to British periods), and dolls.
Maritime and Naval History Museum in Trincomalee is a relatively recent museum, opened to the public in June 2014. It is located within a restored centuries-old Dutch colonial building, adding historical depth to the museum’s purpose.
The exhibits of the museum vividly portray 35 lifelike wax figures representing notable individuals from Sri Lankan history. It also exhibits traditional Kandyan architecture, customs, and craftsmanship. There are also themed stalls displaying traditional industries, along with a dedicated dining section that demonstrates how royal meals were prepared in ancient times, complete with authentic recipes.
Excavations uncovered a variety of grave types, including rectangular cist graves sealed with large stone slabs, rare square cists without capstones, and an exceptionally uncommon form—parallel double orthostats—documented for the first time in Sri Lanka.
Set in the scenic hills of Hanthana, near Kandy, the Hanthana International Birds Park is a 27-acre ecotourism haven where families can discover over a hundred endemic and migratory bird species, enjoy guided tours, and engage in educational, child-friendly experiences amid a tranquil tea-country setting.
St. Paul’s Church in Kandy was constructed by the British colonial administration in 1846, following their annexation of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815. The church was built on a plot of land known as Alakolamediththa, situated directly adjacent to two of the most sacred and symbolic landmarks in Kandy: the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) and the King’s Audience Hall.
The Henarathgoda Old Railway Station stands among the earliest railway stations established in Sri Lanka by the British, located along the first railway line that connected Colombo and Kandy. Built in 1866 alongside the Mahara and Veyangoda stations
Although the exact date of Nagalakanda’s founding and the identity of its builders remain shrouded in mystery, the scattered ruins speak of a once vast Buddhist monastic complex. Archaeologists, intrigued by its religious structures and ruined Buddha statues, often attribute the site to the Middle Anuradhapura period.
