7 Temples & Ruins we visited in Sri Lanka
Temples and ruins, artifacts of a bygone era, and symbols of devotion to a deity or deities of a higher power. Different civilizations have different examples. Maybe this is what makes the ancient world so fascinating, and what makes seeing them so intriguing, the fact you are seeing something that your forefathers would never have imagined seeing. Or that you are standing on ground which has been sacred to man for hundreds of years before you existed, and in some cases will still be for hundreds of years after you leave the earth. Sri Lanka is a country with an amazing history. Due to this, it is filled with artifacts from its past. It has a mass of ruins and temples everywhere you go. Here we highlight 7 temples & ruins we visited in Sri Lanka.
Being a country made up mainly of Buddhists, there is a large abundance of Buddhist temples to see. Some of these date far back but are still worshipped in by the population. In addition to this, the remains of the old palaces and fortresses lie vacant, now echoing with the footsteps of tourists instead of Sri Lankan royalty.
But be aware that as most of these are religious sites and need to be respected as such, it is required to remove your shoes before entering them. Women must cover their shoulders, and sometimes men wearing shorts will be asked to wear a sarong to cover their legs.
1. Lion’s Rock, Sigiriya
One of the most recognizable symbols of Sri Lanka’s past, Lion’s Rock is the site of the palace of one of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka. The fortress is built on a rock column about 200m in height. Climbing the rock is not an easy task. The steps are steep, and just when you think you are almost there and the hard part is over, they start again.
About halfway up, you can see the remains of the gateway which was built to represent a lion, giving the fortress its name. The last half of the climb is up a narrow iron staircase. As you puff and pant your way up, you will likely be surprised at the number of people overtaking you!
The views from the top are beautiful, and the gardens look immense spreading out below you. The old steps are still evident, carved into the rock face. Trying to climb this place a long time ago must have been a laborious task.
A word of warning, watch out for the monkeys that like to steal anything left lying down beside you! Don’t leave your phone, camera, or anything else unattended as they will sneak up behind and try and take it.
As we got to the Lion’s Rock, in the distance we could hear the sounds of festivities, singing, and dancing. When we asked our guide what these were for, he told us that it was to do with the Sri Lankan New Year festival. While we didn’t get to experience any of these, we saw evidence of it all over.
2. Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa, the second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, is the site of a large archaeological site. In the area are many temples and ruins, including the ancient palace. Prior to visiting the site, you should go to the museum, here you learn a little about the city and see some of the artifacts from the excavations. There are also some small scale reconstructions of the ruins on the site so when you see the ruin itself it’s easy to imagine how it looked like hundreds of years ago.
When we reached the site itself, we got a local guide to take us around. There are lots of guides available outside, but make sure to take the pace as you want it. Don’t feel like you have to rush just because it feels like your guide is going fast. Enjoy the ambiance of the area, and make sure to really experience it.
The Palace
Our first stop was the ancient palace. Not much of this remains, but what does is impressive. Seeing the layout of the palace from the inside and the sophisticated sewage system they had in those times is pretty amazing. The main entrance walls that remain are very domineering as you walk in.
Close to the palace is the old audience hall, with extremely well preserved carvings and columns. The staircase and the moonstone at the entrance are also still intact. Not too far from this you will come to the swimming pool with its changing rooms. Again this is an advanced building for its time.
And onto the quadrangle, this is one of the most popular ruins on the site. With a large central building surrounded by four others holding statues of Buddha, its one of the sights that you have to see if time is limited.
Leaving this impressive collection of ruins, we then took the short trip to the largest stupa in Polonnaruwa, Rankot Vihara. Dating from the 12th Century, and standing at 54m tall, it looms out of the trees as you approach it. Take a walk around this and take a look at all the image buildings around which once housed statues of Buddha.
Gal Vihara
And for the final stop of the tour, the Rock Temple at Gal Vihara. Carved from the natural rock, the three Buddha statues all have a different pose. Now protected by a canopy recently build to shield them from the elements, it is incredible to think how the masons from centuries ago made such perfect carvings using basic tools.
3. Dambulla Cave Temple, Matale
Dambulla Cave Temple is the largest of its kind in Sri Lanka, holding 153 statues of Buddha, in addition to three of former kings, and four of gods and goddesses. On its walls and ceilings are many murals and paintings about Buddhism. With five main caves, it is one of the best preserved ancient locations in Sri Lanka. Getting to the complex is not difficult but does involve a slight uphill walk up Dambulla Rock.
The second cave is the largest in the complex, and hosts 56 statues of Buddha. It is called the Cave of the Great Kings as two of the statues are of former kings. Vattagamani Abhaya who honoured the monastery in the 1st century and Nissanka Malla who in the 12th century undertook the gilding of 50 of the statues. Also in this cave is a stupa, and water which is said to have healing powers drips from a crack in the ceiling coming from a spring.
Walking in here, and looking around, with the dim lighting and the shadows cast on the walls by the many statues, it leaves a haunting but calming impression on you.
Just downhill from the cave complex, you can stop off at the golden statue of Buddha and the golden stupa at the Golden Temple.
4. Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Located in Kandy, the Temple of the Tooth is located in the former royal palace of the ancient Kingdom of Kandy. The temple is called as such because it houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. The relic is said to have been retrieved from Buddha’s funeral pyre after his cremation. It is associated with the belief that whoever holds the relic has the right to rule the land. Over time the relic was moved between the ancient cities, from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, and then to Kandy where it now resides.
The complex is large and takes a few hours to go around. Obviously the main feature of interest is the Tooth Sanctuary. You will see many devotees gathered outside here making offerings and waiting for the sanctuary to open so they may enter. Just beyond this you will come to a hall with statues of Buddha, and on the wall are plaques describing the history of the tooth.
Outside the temple you can see the audience hall where the kings held court. The wooden pillars are done in the Kandyan wood carving style.
Again for the tour around the temple we took a local guide as it was a large area. We felt it was worth it for the large complexes to pay a little extra and have someone in the know tell us about it.
5. Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo
On our final day in Sri Lanka, just when we thought we had seen enough temples, our driver took us to Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. With an architecture made up of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, Burmese, and Chinese input, it is a hugely impressive complex. Furthermore, there is an enormous amount of statues and other items which have all been donated from people and countries all over the world.
In the main sanctuary, as you walk in you will be amazed at how the whole area appears to give a yellow ambience. This is down to the large statues of Buddha, and the adjoining statues of worshippers. The ceilings are also painted with works of art. Going through the complex, you will pass different buildings housing statues, shrines, and an immense number of items related to Buddhism.
The story behind the donations in the museum is interesting. The current chief incumbent of the temple, Galboda Gnanissara Thera, took over the administration of the temple at the early age of 16. He is now one of the most respected religious figures in Sri Lanka. From his many travels, many of the statues and items have been donated to him from the places he has been. Some of them are quite unique, such as the smallest Buddha statue on the island which can be viewed with a magnifying glass. Also in this collection is a ‘hip’ Buddha wearing a pair of sunglasses. He has also gathered an antique car collection which is housed in the complex. Although he is called ‘the little monk’, he appears to have a big impression on the people.
6. Sri Muthumiriamman Temple, Matale
So onto our first Hindu temple, and as a matter of fact the only one we went to. It was the first time for both of us to visit a Hindu temple, and frankly we were stunned by the decoration, the colours, and the whole look of the place! We were not expecting something as vibrant to appear in front of us as we stopped alongside!
The temple itself is dedicated to ‘the mother of rain and fertility’, Mariamman. Its Gopuram, or tower, is highly decorated and is one of the largest in Sri Lanka. The tower itself is made up of 1008 statues of Hindu deities and you could spend hours looking at them all. Walking around the temple all you can see are statues and figures looking down at you. All brightly coloured and intricately detailed.
Unfortunately we were not able to go inside as the temple was closed. However we were able to look inside through the side doors as they were basically just bars. On the inside it appeared to be more of the same decoration. It was definitely an amazing insight into Hindu temples, and one which we had not expected to see.
7. Galle Fort, Galle
Galle Fort, not a temple, nor technically ancient. Rather a large fortress first built by the Portuguese in 1588, and fortified by the Dutch in 1649. The Fort has a multi-cultural population and inside you can find churches, and a mosque. You could spend a day here walking the old ramparts and the old streets. Going along the old sea wall and stepping into the lookouts that watched out for invaders from the Indian Ocean. You can come back to the lighthouse overlooking the public beach and walk down to the museums, take in some of the history of the fort and see some of the artifacts taken from the seas around Sri Lanka during underwater archaeological works.
The original fort built by the Portuguese was an earthen structure and was not built on the seaward side. When the Dutch fortified it, they rebuilt it with stone and later on added in the sea wall. The city inside was well planned in a grid layout. The two main gates to the fort have coats of arms from the Dutch and from the English. The Dutch is on the main gate and the English is on what is called the old gate. Many of the old buildings still remain. The old store house is now the Maritime Museum. Whereas the Old Dutch Hospital is a shopping and dining complex.
Galle Fort is a nice way to spend a few hours or a day walking around. But time it right. If the weather is hot and humid, you may only last a few hours under the direct sunlight!
Conclusion
So that’s our list of 7 temples & ruins we visited in Sri Lanka. There are of course many more to see, but naturally we did not have time to visit them all. Walking into the ancient temples and ruins always has a certain feeling to it. That you are walking somewhere that a person walked hundreds of years ago. A person who may not even have known of the country you now hail from. In a time when it took months to travel from your country to Sri Lanka, and not hours. It’s humbling in a way to see the great buildings built by these people, without modern technology and machines. Yet they still stand, a testament to their skills and craft.
On that note, make sure and leave a comment below if there are any other temples or ruins you have visited that you enjoyed in Sri Lanka. The more knowledge for others the better!
Our Sri Lanka Travel Guide
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