(3 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading...
Photo Credits : priyanka maxup
Nakkawatta (also spelled Nakkawaththa) is a village located between Kuliyapitiya and Narammala in the Kurunegala District. To reach the temple, travel approximately 11 km from Kuliyapitiya or 9.5 km from Narammala along the main road. From Nakkawatta, turn onto Temple Road and continue about 1 km to reach the site.
The temple dates back to at least the Kandyan period and features an ancient Tampita Viharaya—a shrine built on a platform supported by stone pillars, a distinct architectural style popular during the Kandyan kingdom.
The Tampita Viharaya at Nakkawatta is constructed on 10 stone pillars, each about 61 cm in height. Despite its modest size, it includes a narrow 46 cm-wide circumambulatory path around the inner sanctum (image house). The inner sanctum measures 3.35 meters in length and 2.44 meters in width, while the entire structure is 6.20 meters long and 4.50 meters wide.
Access to the shrine is via four steps carved directly into a large natural rock. Notably, the second step is shaped like a moonstone (Sandakada Pahana), though its carvings are now heavily weathered.
The Nakkawatta Tampita Viharaya was officially recognized as a protected archaeological monument by the Department of Archaeology, under Gazette No. 14749, issued on 19 May 1967.
References
Also See
- Tampita Vihara of Sri Lanka Index
- Ancient Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
- Other Places of Interest Within Close Proximity
Nakkawatta Sri Sudarshanaramaya Purana Tampita 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.
Travel Directions to Nakkawatta Tampita Viharaya
| Colombo to Nakkawatta Tampita Viharaya |
| Though : Katunayake – Minuwangoda – Giriulla – Dambadeniya Distance : 86 km Travel time : 1 hour 45 mins Time to Spend : about 30 minutes Driving directions : see on Google Map |
0-09 m (89) 10-19 m (77) 20-29 m (47) 30-39 m (50) 40-49 m (25) 50-99 m (50) Ambalama (176) Ancient Anicuts (35) Articles (0) Asanaghara (8) Ashtapala Bodhi (5) Attraction Articles (3) Attractions (266) Beaches (10) Biosphere Reserves (3) Botanical Gardens (5) Bridges (35) Cave Art (13) Caving (7) Churches (30) Cities (9) Destinations (18) Dethis Pala Bodhi (27) Devalaya (51) Events (3) Flora and Fauna (82) Forts (52) Heritage (1932) Heritage Articles (27) Historic Events (7) History (7) Hot Springs (9) Hydro Heritage (104) Irrigation Articles (4) Islands (15) Kings of Sri Lanka (188) Kovils (29) Kuludage (11) Lighthouses (29) Memorials (57) Mile Posts (6) Misc (1) Mosques (4) Museums (15) National Parks (24) over 100 m (20) Pabbatha Vihara (13) Padhanagara (27) Personalities (211) Pillar/Slab Inscriptions (48) Popular Tourist Attractions (231) Pre Historic Burial Sites (23) Prehistory (42) Prehistory Articles (2) RAMSAR sites (6) Ravana (16) Reservoirs (72) Rock Inscriptions (36) Ruins in Wilpattu (11) Ruins in Yala (25) Santuaries (7) Sluice Gates (17) Stone Bridges (18) Strict Nature Reserves (3) Sumaithangi (3) Survey Towers (18) Tampita Vihara (242) Travel (5) View Points (24) Walawwa (13) War Memorials (26) Waterfalls (380) Wildlife Articles (28) Yathuru Pokuna (4)
Abhayagiri Monastery (20) Ampara District (196) Anuradhapura District (240) Badulla District (123) Batticaloa District (100) Colombo District (123) Galle District (76) Gampaha District (63) Hambantota District (124) Jaffna District (77) Kalutara District (53) Kandy District (217) Kegalle District (165) Kilinochchi District (13) Kingdom of Anuradhapura (88) Kingdom of Kandy (19) Kingdom of Kotte (9) Kingdom of Polonnaruwa (58) Kurunegala District (183) Maha Vihara (18) Mannar District (47) Mannar Island (10) Matale District (94) Matara District (53) Mihintale (22) Monaragala District (113) Mullaitivu District (39) Negombo (5) Nuwara Eliya District (126) Polonnaruwa District (138) Puttalam District (43) Ratnapura District (177) Trincomalee District (80) Vavuniya District (34) waterfalls in Sinharaja (3) z Delft 1 (5) z Jaffna 1 (20) z Jaffna 2 (26) z Jaffna 3 (14)