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Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site) – තණමල්විල ගෝපාලපබ්බත රජමහා විහාරය (වෙහෙරගල පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථානය)

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Ruins of Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

Veheragala Archaeological Site lies in the temple complex known as the Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya in the area known as Bodagama on the Udawalawe and Thanamalwila Road.

This is a site now preserved by the Department of Archaeology and covers an considerable area. ‘Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon’ by C.W.Nicholas published in 1963 states that there are two inscriptions, one very fragmentary of the 2nd century, and the other of the 6th century. The latter mentions the village Rayadagama in Mayagaraya.

Directions to Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

View from the Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

An ancient bell tower made of granite pillars at Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

Rock inscriptions at Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

An ancient Buddha statue now restored at Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

photos by curtsey of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

Also See

Map of Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

Please click on the button below to load the Dynamic Google Map (ගූගල් සිතියම් පහලින්)

Show Location (ගූගල් සිතියම)

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

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Travel Directions to Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

Route from Udawalawe NP entrance to Gothapabbatha Rajamaha Viharaya (Veheragala Archaeological Site)

Through : Thanamalwila Road
Distance : 30 km
Travel time :25 minutes
Driving directions : see on google map

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Nagollakanda Na Sevana Aranya Senasanaya Archaeological Site (නාගොල්ලකන්ද නා සෙවණ ආරණ්‍ය සේනාසනය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Na Sevana Aranya Senasanaya forest monastery lies on a rocky area known as Nagollakanda in Manampitiya in Polonnaruwa District. To access this site, one must travel to Manampitiya from Polonnaruwa on the Batticaloa road. 2.3 km pass the turn off to Dimbulagala, there is a narrow gravel road which leads to the Nagollakanda forest monastery. […]
Welikanda Pansalgala Archaeological Site (වැලිකන්ද පන්සල්ගල පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Welikanda Pansalgala is a rocky area situated in Polonnaruwa District, deep inside Welikanda region. To access this site, one must travel to Welikanda from Polonnaruwa on the Batticaloa road. From Welikanda, a narrow road spanning 13 kilometers, passing through Maithreegama, leads to the destination inside the jungles of Welikanda. […]
Archaeological Ruins of Welikanda Kavudagala Aranya Senasanaya (වැලිකන්ද කවුඩාගල ආරණ්‍ය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
Kavudagala rocky area consist of a large ancient stupa, stone pillars of ancient buildings, steps, guardstones, moonstones which adorned the entrances of these ancient buildings, Sri Pathul Gal, a stone Chatra of the stupa, a natural rock pool, caves with dripleges and inscriptions on the donation of these caves to the Sangha. […]
Sungawila Pulayadipattiya Ihala Archaeological Ruins (සුංගාවිල පුලියාඩිපට්ටිය ඉහළ පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The site with archaeological monuments known as Pulayadipattiya Ihala allotted by Geographical data Nos. mentioned below in wildlife conservation zone of Somawathie in Sungawila Village in the Grama Niladhari Division No. 137 of Sungawila in Lankapura Divisional Secretary’s Division in Polonnaruwa District, North Central Province was declared as an archaeological is monument in 1st January 2023. […]
Sungawila Pulayadipattiya Archaeological Ruins (සුංගාවිල පුලියාඩිපට්ටිය පුරාවිද්‍යා භූමිය)
The site with archaeological monuments known as Pulayadipattiya allotted by Geographical data Nos. mentioned below in wildlife conservation zone of Somawathie in Sungawila Village in the Grama Niladhari Division No. 137 of Sungawila in Lankapura Divisional Secretary’s Division in Polonnaruwa District, North Central Province was declared as an archaeological is monument in 1st January 2023. […]
Remains of the Keppetipola Wilson Fort
Robert Brownrigg, the Governor during the Uva Wellassa Rebellion sent Major Douglas Wilson was dispatched with a sizable cavalry force. This fort at Keppetipola was built to accommodate this cavalry force of Major Wilson. […]
Ruins of the Ancient Fort on Hunnasgiriya Kanda Mountain in Medamahanuwara
Medamahanuwara mountain is today known as Hunnasgiriya mountain. On the top of this hill are the remains of an ancient fort or palace. According to legend, this fort was built by King Senarath (1604 – 1635) who ruled Kandyan Kingdom. […]
Miniyampitiya Watta Archaeological Ruins in Kegalle
While building the Central Expressway between Colombo and Kandy, a discovery was made of ruins of two ancient stupas which has never been reported before. The site lies in Rambukkana Miniyampitiya area in Kegalle District. […]
Badulla Wattekele Ambalama
The ancient Wattekele Ambalama is located at Wattekele at Egodawela in Thennayaya village in the Grama Niladhari Division of Wattekele in Soranatota Divisional Secretary’s Division in Badulla District, Uva Province. […]
Theldeniya Karalliyadda Ambalama
The Karalliyadda Ambalama is built on a stone foundation about one and a half feet high. A frame built with four large wooden logs are placed on top of 4 smaller stones on the foundation. These logs are also used as seats. The base is not filled inside so there is room for feet. […]
Matale Godapola Ambalama
Godapola Ambalama stands on a square platform with half walls surrounding the building near a paddy field underneath a patch of large trees. Four octagonal pillars hold the roof of the Ambalama. These pillars are decorated with simple pillar heads (Pekada) with floral designs. […]
Makuletenna Ambalama (මකුලේතැන්න අම්බලම)
The Ambalama at Makulethenna lies just 100 meters away from the Makulethenna Rajamaha Viharaya in Matale. To reach this building from Matale, take the Harrison Jones Road and travel 3.5 km along this narrow road. The ambalama lies near the road surrounded by lush paddy fields. […]
Rathmale Nelumwewa Ambalama (රත්මලේ නෙලුම්වැව අම්බලම)
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Rajanganaya Kadigala Mahamangala Seya Ruins (රාජාංගණය කාඩිගල මහාමංගල සෑය නටබුන්)
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Mystic Pansal Gala Statue of Mathugama (මතුගම අද්භූත පන්සල් ගල පිළිමය)
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Guralawela Ambalama and Uraketa Well (ගුරලවෙල අම්බලම සහ ඌරාකැට ලිඳ)
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Biyagama Kottunna Ambalama
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Uva Wellassa Rebellion of 1817/1818 and Monarawila Keppetipola Memorial
Monarawila Keppetipola Memorial The Uva Wellassa Rebellion, also known as the Rebellion of 1817/18, is considered the first freedom fight in Sri Lanka after the British captured the Kingdom […]
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Historical Naula Ambalama
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Kothmale Hedunuwewa Ambalama
Located in the area of Hedunuwewa Grama Niladhari of Kotmale Divisional Secretariat Division, Hedunuwewa Ambalama is located at a distance of about one kilometer on the Wethalawa road running towards the east from the Hedunuwewa junction. […]
Ruins at Akithamurippu (Thekkama) Paththini Devalaya
On the road from Medawachchiya to Mannar, about a kilometer before Madu Church Road, there is the road to a British Hanging Bridge over the Malwathu Oya. After traveling about a kilometer on this road, you will see an Amuna (anicut) across the Yodha Ela (Giant Canal) in a beautiful surrounding. […]
Aluthdivulwewa Purana Tampita Viharaya
At Aluthdivulwewa Tampita Viharaya entrance, only one gatekeeper statues exists today. Regrettably, the other has been lost to time, leaving only one to stand guard. The exterior of the viharaya is painted in white. Stepping inside, one is greeted by the interior walls that bear the artistic imprints of the Kandy era, replicating the rich cultural heritage of the region. However, it is disheartening to note that the lack of proper maintenance has led to the gradual deterioration of many paintings, diminishing their original splendor. […]
Pattiyawatta Ambalama in Kandy
Pattiyawatta Ambalama, which is made of brick and mortar and the roof has been restored using semi cylindrical clay tile. The ambalama, is made in a rectangular shape and a small hall-like extension has been added to enter from the front. The roof is built as two parts for two sections. […]
Medawala Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya
According to folklore, the history of the Medawala temple dates back to the reign of King Wattagamani Abhaya (103 BC), where it is believed this temple was built by him during the stay in Malaya Rata. There are two written sources that shed light on the temple's history. One is the inscription in the garden of the Medawala Viharaya and the other other is a Medawala Sannasa. […]
St. Catherine’s Seat at Haputale (හපුතලේ සා. කැතිරීන් අසුන)
St. Catherine’s Seat, situated in the upper division of Nayabedda Tea Estate provides breathtaking views of Bandarawela, Diyatalawa and the surrounding mountains of the Uva Basin. Nayabedda tea estate is located in the Poonagala hills and has plenty of scenic views of the surrounding mountain range. […]
Ruins by the Andiyagala Reservoir (ආඬියාගල වැව බෞද්ධ නටබුණ්)
A centuries-old stupa, concealed beneath a blanket of lush vegetation, appears as a mere hillock nestled in the rugged expanse adjacent to the scenic Andiyagala Reservoir. […]
Vijithapura Rajamaha Viharaya (විජිතපුර රජමහා විහාරය)
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. […]