(4 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
Loading...
Image courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage
Gotha Pabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya is situated on rocky outcrop near the mouth of the Walawe River in Godawaya which is a small fishing hamlet located between Ambalantota and Hamantota. The temple believed to have been built by Regional king Gotabaya (King Kavanthissa’s father) in the 2nd century BC. Godawaya is a ancient shipping port active as far as 2nd centaury BC. The temple is
also believed to be have been used as the administrative centre of this port. An inscription found in the vicinity of the temple records that a later king decreed that the taxes from the Port of Godavaya be dedicated to the temple.
Sri lankan and German archeologists have been excavating this monastery complex and on the west side of the monastery an elevated ancient image house and a chapter house have been excavated. Three different statues were discovered here: A standing Buddha about 3.50 meters tall and two Bodhisattva statues each about 1.80 meters in height. These statues even have traces of the original color.
Historians have been especially interested in the Customs Building, located on the east side of the ancient monastery, which was decorated with ornaments showing an elephant placing his trunk in lotus flowers. Clay seals bearing the the emblem of a lion were used to seal goods and cargo as proof that the customs duty was paid.
Also See
Map of Godawaya Gotha Pabbatha Rajamaha 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.
Traveling Directions to Gotha Pabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya at Godawaya
| Route from Colombo to Gotha Pabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya at Godawaya | Route from Hambantota to Gotha Pabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya at Godawaya |
| Via : Southern Expressway distance : 220 km Travel time : 3.5 hours Driving directions : see on google map | Distance :16 km Travel time : 20 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)