Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya

Colombo

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DESTINATIONS sri lanka colombo Do & See Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya is one of the most important Buddhist temples in the country. Believed to be sanctified during Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka, the original temple was destroyed on two different occasions by invaders from India, and later from Portugal. Restored in the 18th century by the Dutch, it contains historic statues and paintings that preserve the spirit of past ages.

Do & See

It would be difficult not to immerse yourself in the serenity of Buddhism, which is practised by the majority of Sri Lankans. Yet, Colombo is home to all religions as evidenced by temples, mosques, and churches sprouting amidst a jumble of Dutch and British-built buildings, a legacy of its colonial past.