Kandy Wax Museum in Ehelapola Walawwa (මහනුවර ඇහැලේපොළ වලව්වේ ඉටි රූප කෞතුකාගාරය)

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Ehelepola Walawwa in Kandy stands as one of the 18 walawwas (noble residences) that existed during the reign of Sri Lanka’s last monarch, King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe (1798–1815).

Conversion to a Prison by the British

Following the British occupation of Kandy, colonial authorities swiftly apprehended leading nobles, chieftains, and Buddhist clergy of the Kandyan Kingdom. Ehelepola Walawwa was repurposed as a prison to detain many of these prominent figures. Among those imprisoned here before being executed by the British were Madugalle Nilame, Ellepola Nilame, Keppatipola Nilame, and Kivulegedara Mohottirala.

Subsequently, Ehelepola Walawwa continued to function as part of the Kandy prison system, a role it retained even after Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948. Despite repeated proposals to convert the building into a public heritage site, it remained under the control of Bogambara Prison and was not accessible to the general public for decades.

The Wax Museum

This changed when the Urban Development Authority undertook a restoration project and handed the property over to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. On July 17, 2025, the site reopened as Sri Lanka’s first wax museum, a landmark cultural attraction.

The museum highlights various aspects of the Kandyan Kingdom, the cultural context to which the Ehelepola Walawwa originally belonged. Wax exhibits vividly portray 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.

A major feature of the museum is its collection of 35 lifelike wax figures representing notable individuals from Sri Lankan history. These include Ven. Weliwita Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Thera, Ven. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera, King Wimaladharmasuriya I, Queen Kusumāsana Devi, Monarawila Keppetipola Disawe, master craftsman Devendra Mulachari, British Governor Robert Brownrigg, Ehelepola Maha Adikaram, his wife Kumarihami, and their two children.

The Shopping Complex in the Prison Cells

The museum also includes the Prison Arcade—a distinctive shopping complex created by repurposing historic colonial-era prison cells. This two-story arcade comprises 40 individual shops, with 20 located on each level, blending commercial activity with heritage preservation.

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Ehelepola Walawwa in Kandy

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Travel Directions to Kandy Wax Museum in Ehelapola Walawwa

Kandy can be reached from Colombo via the old Colombo-Kandy road (option 1), which is scenic but heavily congested, especially on Fridays and Sundays. However, the new Central Expressway (option 2) has opened up a new route, which is longer but less cumbersome.

Route 1 from Colombo to Kandy	Route 2 from Colombo to Kandy
Through: Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Warakapola – Kegalle – Kadugannawa Distance: 121 km Travel Time: 4.15 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route From Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Through : Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.

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