Heritage

Kandaladi Archaeological Site (කණ්ඩලඩි පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථානය)

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Located buried among vast paddy fields of Kandaladi, this Anuradhapura Period site represents the remains of what was once a significant architectural complex. The ruins have been extensively damaged, with stone pillars displaced and the area subjected to bulldozing. As a result of this destruction, the original layout, scale, and structural type of the ancient building can no longer be clearly determined.

The Kandaladi Ruins of Destroyed Buildings are located within the Vakarai North Grama Niladhari Division, under the Korala Pattu North (Vakarai) Divisional Secretariat. The site represents the remains of an ancient building complex, now heavily disturbed.

Location and Access

From the Navaladi Junction on the Trincomalee Road, proceed towards Vakarai. Near the Bank of Ceylon and the Road Development Authority office, take the road on the right and continue for approximately 1.5 km (0.93 miles) through a forested area to reach the site.

Historical Background

Although the original arrangement of the structures is no longer clearly discernible due to the removal of stone pillars, the surviving artifacts and design characteristics indicate that the site dates to the Anuradhapura Period.

Site Condition and Archaeological Evidence

The site, situated within a forested patch in the village of Kandaladi, has been extensively damaged. The stone pillars that once formed part of the buildings have been removed using machinery, significantly disrupting the original layout.

At present, nine stone pillars, each approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) in height, are found scattered irregularly, having been displaced from their original positions.

In addition, fragments of ancient bricks and roofing tiles remain scattered among soil mounds, further supporting the structure belonging to the Anuradhapura Period.

Geographical Coordinates

The exact location of the site is as follows:

Latitude: 8° 19′ 03.1″ N
Longitude: 81° 25′ 14.8″ E

References

Exploration and Documentation Division (Ed.). (2017). පුරාවිද්යා ස්ථාන හඳුනා ගැනීමේ ගවේෂණ වාර්තාව, මඩකලපුව දිස්ත්රික්කය. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.

Also See

Map of the Palchenai Archological Site

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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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Travelling Directions to Palchenai Archaeological Site

Route from Trincomalee to Palchenai Archological Site

Through: Kinniya – Mutur – Serunuwara – Verugal
Distance: 70 km
Travel time: 1.40 hours
Driving directions : see on Google Maps

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