Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka

Mysterious Sigiriya Temple

Sigiriya, also known as Lion Rock, is located in central Sri Lanka, between the cities of Dambulla and Habarana. This imposing structure rises atop a 200-metre high cliff and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. You’ll really sweat as you climb up the world’s longest staircase, numbering 1,860, but the hard work is worth it, you’ll see.

About halfway up, you can visit a gallery with paintings of 22 graceful maids, about whose origins almost nothing is known. You won’t find portraits like these anywhere else in Sri Lanka. As you ascend, you’ll see massive lion’s paws. Why this particular scene is here is a mystery. Then, at the top, there is an ancient palace and monastery with gardens that served as a retreat for monks. You’ll feel like you’re in heaven.

The Most Sacred Temple of Kandy

Kandy is considered not only the cultural heart of Sri Lanka, but also one of the most sacred temple complexes ever. It is located in the heart of Sri Lanka on the shores of a lake. It is also called the Temple of the Tooth because the former royal palace houses one of the most sacred Buddhist relics, the tooth of the Buddha. It is hidden in a golden box in the shape of a dagoba, which is hidden in six other gradually enlarging boxes.

They are placed on the altar, where guards make sure that no visitor comes within three metres of it and sees the reliquary for more than 15 seconds. Worshippers sit in front of the altar and pray, then behind the altar are many statues of the seated Buddha surrounded by offerings. Moreover, the building itself is truly breathtaking in its architecture and decoration. So don’t miss this temple when visiting Sri Lanka.

The most important temple complex of Dambulla

Dambulla, also known as the Golden Cave, is a town located in the central part of Sri Lanka. It houses one of the most important and oldest cave temple complexes in the world. It is estimated to be 2,000 years old. The ceilings and walls of these caves are covered with frescoes and golden decorations. The entire complex consists of a total of 153 caves, of which the 5 main caves contain several hundred statues of Buddha and paintings illustrating his life.

Right at the entrance to the complex, a 30-metre high gilded Buddha statue will catch your eye. It is located directly above the so-called Golden Temple, which is the youngest building in the complex. The other caves are in the hill above the temple and are made of brick. They can be reached by a spiral staircase. Once you enter them, you feel like you are in a real temple. You should definitely not miss the so-called Blue Shrine and the sacred fig tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, and the Temple of the Great King, which is the second most beautiful cave of the whole complex.

The oldest temple of Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura is also located in the centre of Sri Lanka. The city is filled with the remains of temples, stupas, monasteries and other holy sites. Jetavanaramaya, one of the highest stupas in the world, and Ruwanwelisaya, considered one of the most beautiful stupas in Sri Lanka, are just some of the sites that can be found in Anuradhapura.

It is quite a large complex. Therefore, we recommend starting your walk at the Tissa Wewa reservoir, the most important reservoir for the whole of Anuradhapura, which was built in the 3rd century BC. The rock temple that you will see on the right side of the reservoir also dates from the same period. A statue of lovers can also be found near the temple. The girl has her finger raised to warn against a rash move.

The remarkable Polonnaruwa Temple

Another historic town worth seeing is Polonnaruwa. It is located in the central part of Sri Lanka. It offers its visitors a glimpse of several Buddhist temples and stupas. Gal Vihara, also known as the temple complex of four Buddha statues, is one of the highlights of this place. Carved from rock, the statues are considered masterpieces and represent an important period of art in Sri Lanka.

The age of this city is estimated to be 1,000 years old and is now one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. Also definitely worth a visit is the so-called Sacred Quadrangle, a sort of square area on which important architectural temples are located. Don’t forget to also visit one of the most beautiful buildings, namely the circular Vatadage Temple, or also the 54 m high Rankot Vihara, the fourth largest building in Sri Lanka, which is worth seeing.

Source: emarkanalytics.com
Foto: unsplash.com
Preview picture: unsplash.com
Tags: technology, top10