Joanna James
The thing about the city of Kandy which is the hill capital of Sri Lanka is a very famous as a destination that people like to visit to take in the unchanged way of life in Sri Lanka as it was before the colonial takeover. Here are some temples you can visit in Kandy.
The Temple of the Tooth Relic is one of the most important temples in the Buddhist world. It is said to enshrine to the tooth of the Buddha and as such garners pilgrims from all over the world. It is located in the centre of the city and is part of the palace complex of the last king of Sri Lanka. It is probably the most popular tourist site in the city and many pilgrims travel to Kandy from all over the world for the Festival of Perahera. Known to tourists as the Festival of Elephants, it is held for two weeks during the end of July or the beginning of August. The temple and palace complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. When you visit the temple you can also the Buddhist Museum, the rest of the palace complex and a couple more museums that take up residence in the palace outbuildings.
The Bahirawakanda Temple is situated in the highest point in Kandy from where you can look over the entire city. There is also a gigantic milky-white statue of the Buddha on the peak, looking over the whole city. So it is always a place you should consider visiting either at the beginning of your excursion into Kandy or at the end so you can look over the entire city and plan your progress from site to site. There is also a monastery in the mountain where you can visit to know about the way that Buddhist monks meditate.
The Galmaduwa temple ruins were discovered during the Gal Oya development project that resulted in the river being dammed. The temple has since been renovated and a new dagoba added which is functioning today. There are plenty of ruins to see in the meantime including some giant pillars and stone formations like the Sandakada Pahana. You can learn more about this temple by visiting sites like Kandy Escapes.
The Ranawana Purana Rajamaha Vihara is a historical temple that was constructed during the era of a king. It is one of the most beautiful and largest temples in the country. The temple is situated in a forest and there are trails that you can take to explore the surrounding countryside especially if you love nature.
Lankatilaka Temple is a historical and cultural thing of beauty. It is dedicated to the Buddha and was built during the kingdom eras. There are so much culture and history to explore especially if you love architecture.
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