Religious, Spiritual sights in Colombo
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Isipathanaramaya Temple
The Isipathanaramaya Temple has particularly beautiful frescoes.
reviewed
-
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
Even if the thought of seeing yet another temple sends you reaching for the arrack, this Buddhist temple is worth the effort. The original temple was destroyed by Indian invaders, restored, destroyed again by the Portuguese, and restored again in the 18th and 19th centuries. The dagoba, which (unusually) is hollow, is the focus of the Duruthu Perahera in January each year. To reach the temple take bus 235 from in front of the traffic-police station, which is just northeast of the Bastian Mawatha bus station.
reviewed
-
B
Gangaramaya Temple
A short walk east of theSouth Beira lake is the sprawling Gangaramaya Temple. Run by one of Sri Lanka’s more politically adept monks, the temple complex has a library, a museum (donation Rs 100) and an extraordinarily eclectic array of bejewelled and gilded gifts presented by devotees and well-wishers over the years. Gangaramaya is the focus of the Navam Perahera on the February poya(full moon) day each year.
reviewed
-
C
New Kathiresan Kovil
Known as kovil, Hindu temples are numerous in Colombo. On Sea St, the New Kathiresan Kovil (along with the old Kathiresan Kovil) is dedicated to the war god Murugan (Skanda), and is the starting point for the annual Hindu Vel festival held in July/August, when the huge vel (trident) chariot is dragged to various kovils on Galle Rd in Bambalapitiya.
reviewed
-
D
Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque
The decorative 1909 Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque has candy-striped red-and-white brickwork. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims during prayer times and Fridays.
reviewed
-
E
Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque is the most important of Colombo's many mosques. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims during prayer times and Fridays.
reviewed
