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Asgiriya Maha Vihara

Kandy


The head monks here also administer the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Inside, there's a large reclining Buddha. It's located 1km northwest of the town centre.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kandy attractions

1. Kataragama Devale

0.49 MILES

The brightly painted tower gateway of the Kataragama Devale demands attention amid the bustle on Kotugodelle Vidiya. Murugan, the god of war, has six…

2. Vishnu Devale

0.6 MILES

The Vishnu Devale is reached by carved steps and features a drumming hall. The great Hindu god Vishnu is the guardian of Sri Lanka, demonstrating the…

3. St Paul's Church

0.63 MILES

Construction of this impressive red-brick colonial-era church began in 1843 and was completed five years later. Built in neo-Gothic style, it originally…

4. Pattini Devale

0.64 MILES

The very popular, simple-looking Pattini Devale temple is dedicated to the goddess of chastity. It's frequented by pregnant women and those seeking a cure…

5. Natha Devale

0.66 MILES

The 14th-century Natha Devale is the oldest of Kandy's devales. It perches on a stone terrace with a fine vahalkada (solid panel of sculpture) gateway…

6. Audience Hall

0.72 MILES

To the north of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, but still within the compound, is the 19th-century Audience Hall, an open-air pavilion with stone…

7. Rajah Tusker Hall

0.73 MILES

Adjacent to the Audience Hall, the Rajah Tusker Hall displays the stuffed remains of Rajah, the famous Maligawa elephant who died in 1988. Rajah was the…

8. Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

0.73 MILES

The golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. During puja…