All of the major ancient historic sites in Sri Lanka are UNESCO World Heritage sites:

Sri Lanka has a fascinating history with one of the first written references to the island made in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana, which mentions how Lanka was created by the divine sculptor for the Lord of Wealth.

The first recorded kingdom, the Anuradhapura Kingdom, was established in 380 BC. Buddhism arrived in the country around 250 BC and continues to be the dominant religion, affecting many areas of life in Sri Lanka today.

Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th century BCE until the end of the 10th century CE.

Anuradhapura and the nearby Mihintale are the birthplaces of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka, from 1070 to 1310.

The Golden Temple of Dambulla is a cave temple complex, a pilgrimage site for 22 centuries that consist of beautiful mural paintings and statues.

In the town of Matale you will find large and opulent homes. In the middle of the town stands a very elaborate Hindu temple done in a riot of colours with hundreds of statutes. The town has become rich from the spice trade, particularly in cinnamon.

Sigiriya was the capital of Sri Lanka for a short time in the 5th century, as well as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.

Sigiriya (Lion Rock) is an amazing ancient palace on a massive rock column about 200 meters high located in the center of the country. The gardens are particularly important and are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. According to legend, in 477 AD, King Kasyapa selected the site for his new capital and built his palace on the top of the rock, decorating its sides with colorful frescos of dancing ladies and carving out pools on the top to gather and store water. Halfway up the side of the rock he built a gateway in the form of a giant lion. It is reputed to be one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning and is the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka. It is said that Kasyapa murdered his father and usurped the throne from the rightful heir, his brother Mugalan. Preparing for the inevitable return of his brother, Kasyapa built the palace on the summit, which seemed impregnable. But when the final battle took place on the plains below, Kasyapa’s elephant took a turn that looked to his army like he was retreating, and this led to his army abandoning him. Too proud to surrender, he committed suicide by falling on his sword, according to legend.

An hour’s drive from Sigiriya you’ll find The Golden Temple of Dambulla cave complex which has drawn pilgrims to Sri Lanka’s interior for 22 centuries. This is an important stop as it underlines the significance of Buddhism in the country. It is certainly evidenced by the numerous pilgrims, dressed in white and holding flowers, who climb 160 meters of stairs to reach the caves and pay their respects to the 153 Buddha statues and exquisite paintings related to Gautama Buddha’s life.

While there are over 80 known caves in the area, the majority of statues and paintings appear in a network of five caves. These temples contain 153 statues of Buddha, three statues of Sri Lankan royalty, and four statues of gods and goddesses. Dated to the third century BC, the complex is one of the most ancient sites in Sir Lanka and still functions as a monastery.

The Golden Temple is the best-preserved cave complex on the island. However, it is not completely original. There were major renovations in 1190 and again in the 18th century. Buddhist murals cover 2,100 square meters (22,600 ft2) of wall space. Archaeologists believe ancient Sri Lankans lived in the caves long before Buddhism arrived on the island. Skeletons dating back as far as 2,700 years have been unearthed in the vicinity.

Ganegodella Rajamaha Viharaya is believed to be built by Minister Devapathiraja on the instructions of King Parakramabahu the second in the 12th century during Dambadeniya period. In addition to this temple there are number of temples and devalas built by this minister in the Ahungalla, Balapitiya and Kosgoda area.

The description below on the Chulavamsa, the minor chronicle of Sri Lanka is believed to be the description of the building of this temple with a 3 storied building by the Devapathiraja

“……. Hereupon he had this whole occurrence in its true sequence from the beginning written down on a lofty stone pillar and had this monument of the glory of the Great king of kings Parakkamabahu set up with rejoicing. Thereupon he informed the King of the whole occurrence by the mouth of a messenger and sent (the message) off, since his wishes had been completely carried out, After that Devappatiraja betook himself to the Hattha-vanagalla-vihara and had erected there at great cost, in the manner commanded by the King, a three- storeyed pasada with a lofty point and gave it over to the Grand master, the wise Anomadassin by name.”

The access road to the temple lies to the left just as you pass the Kosgoda police station when traveling towards Galle. A yellow color sign board directing to the temple can be seen at this junction. The Temple lies 200 meters away and as enter you will come to the area of the living quarters of the monks.

Passing that you will come to the temple area and the ancient Image house built by Devapathiraja during the 13th century. It is said that that this was destroyed by Portuguese and the Dutch but built again during the era of the Kandyan Kingdom. All the statues inside this image house is built with clay. An elaborate Dragons Arch (Makara Thorana) greets you to the inner chamber of the image house. The inside walls of the outer chamber is covered with Buddhist murals in various stages of decay. In the inner most chamber lies a Samadhi Buddha Statue and 2 other standing Buddhas at the sides.

Kandy was the last old capital of Sri Lanka. The Temple of the Tooth Relic is a famous pilgrimage site in Kandy, protecting the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha.

Kandy is the second-largest city after Colombo. High up in the middle of the country, Kandy is known by film buffs as the location where parts of the 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were filmed, but it also has an interesting ancient history. A major tourist stop, its main attraction is the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. Between 1815 and 1948, Kandy was a British colonial city and traces of British influence can clearly be seen all over, most particularly in a large church right next to the palace holding the Tooth Relic. Also, there is a beautiful building in the town housing the Salvation Army. The city was the last stronghold of the final Sri Lankan king and repelled invasions by the Portuguese and Dutch up until the 1800s until the British finally succeeded in 1815.

Take off your shoes when visiting the Royal Palace and the impressive gold- and marble-encrusted temple inside the fortress wall. Inside the temple, many people sit on the floor listening to Buddhist priests chanting and praying. Interestingly, inside the temple are lithographs on the walls depicting various British colonial governors visiting the temple and paying respects to Buddhist monks.

In the city centre is a statue depicting a Sinhalese nationalist holding high a Sri Lanka flag and dragging a British flag on the ground, a monument to those who fought against the British colonial masters.

The “Festival of the Sacred Tooth,” takes place in Kandy during ten nights, commencing on the full moon poya day in July, where the tooth relic of Lord Buddha is carried on a richly decorated elephant and taken on a grand procession through the city streets, led by traditional dancers and drummers. Very colourful.

It’s known for Galle Fort, the fortified old city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century, expanded by the Dutch and the British, the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. A UNESCO world heritage site.