UNESCO has recognized eight World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. Out of them, 6 are cultural and 2 are natural. Most of these heritage sites concentrate on Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy. Read more about each attraction and find out all the important details to learn about their historical value and significance. When you are planning your Sri Lanka visit, visit as many of these marvelous attractions as you can!
1. Anuradhapura
This is the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka and the beginning of the great Sri Lankan civilization. It lasted for the longest period as the capital of the country. The sacred city of Anuradhapura revers as one of the greatest ancient sites of the world. The ancient ruins of many Buddhist temples are still preserved in the city.
Mainly, there are 8 great religious places of worship in Anuradhapura; Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanweliseya, Thuparamaya, Jetavanaramaya, Abhayagiriya, Lovamahapaya, Mirisawetiya, and Lankaramaya.
Ruwanweliseya
This is the most beautiful majestic monument in the sacred city of Anuradhapura. King Dutugemunu built the Ruwanweliseya in the 19th century. It is remaining as one of the world’s tallest ancient monuments, standing at a height of 103 m with a circumference of 290 m. It took 33 years to complete this gigantic structure. Built by brick and clay, it is a marvel of ancient architectural skills and is respected by Buddhists all over the world. The pure white Ruwanweliseya stays as the most popular attraction in the sacred city of Anuradhapura. This majestic Dagaba is one of the epic cultural landmarks in Sri Lanka.
Jaya Sri Mahabodhi
Jaya Sri Mahabodhi is the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world. It is the most ancient tree in Sri Lanka, said to be 2,200 years old. It is a branch from the Bodhi tree at Buddha Gaya in North India, where the Lord Buddha found his Enlightenment. There is a gold-painted fence for the protection of the Bodhi tree. Buddhists in Sri Lanka deeply respect this tree as a living symbol of the Lord Buddha.
Thuparamaya
Thuparamaya is the first ancient Buddhist Stupa in Sri Lanka. This is the earliest Dagaba constructed on the island which dates back to the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa. The stone pillars around the stupa were the structural support for a dome that covered the stupa. Usually, most Stupas in Anuradhapura have ruins of rows of stone pillars around them. It believes that there was a majestic house called as Vatadage encircling these stupas, which shows the great architectural splendor of the ancient King’s Reign.
Jetavanaramaya
Jetavanaramaya is 122 m high, the tallest stupa in Sri Lanka, built by King Mahasen. Above all, it has significant historical value as one of the tallest structures in the ancient world. It was the tallest non-pyramidal ancient building and still remains with the original brick surface.
Abhayagiriya
King Valagamba built the ancient Abhayagiriya monastery. It is one of the most extensive ruins in Anuradhapura with a large Stupa, a statue of Samadhi Buddha, and many great stone carvings.
Lovamahapaya
Lovamahapaya was a massive nine-story building, built by King Dutugemunu. Due to the Bronze tiled roof, it calls the brazen palace. A fire destroyed the building long ago and only the 1600 supporting stone pillars are now remaining. The small building in the center of these stone pillars is a late construction.
Mirisawetiya
Great King Dutugemunu built the magnificent Mirisawetiya Dagaba. The current structure is a renovation from the initial one and the present Dagaba is 59 m in height.
Lankaramaya
Lankaramaya is mostly similar to the Thuparamaya, the first stupa built in ancient Sri Lanka. King Walagamba created this stupa and it was also renovated from the original structure. The stone pillars of the house it encircled are still remaining.
There is a vast network of ancient temples, palaces, and monasteries that covers over 40 sq km in the city of Anuradhapura. The sacred city of Anuradhapura is a greatly influential area, which gives reminders of the glorious past of the thousands of year-long history of Sri Lanka.
2. Polonnaruwa
This is the second ancient capital of Sri Lanka and one of the best-planned archaeological relic cities in the country. Especially, the ancient ruins of the King’s Palace, Gal Viharaya, Vatadage, Hatadage, and Rankoth Vehera are quite famous among Polonnaruwa visitors.
Gal Viharaya
Gal Viharaya is an ancient rock temple and the most visited monument at Polonnaruwa, built by King Parakramabahu. The distinct feature of this temple is four rock relief statues of Lord Buddha. They are carved into the face of large granite rock. In fact, natural rock was excavated to 4.6 m deep to accommodate the statues.
The statues consist of a large seated figure (4.6 m), another smaller seated figure (1.4 m), a standing figure (6.9 m), and a reclining figure (14.1 m). Above all, the reclining Buddha statue is one of the largest stone structures in Southeast Asia. These giant statues are the most significant monuments and examples of ancient sculpting and carving arts of the Polonnaruwa dynasty.
Royal Palace
The ruin of the majestic Royal Palace, built by King Parakramabahu is an amazing historical monument. It was a massive structure, measuring 31 m by 13 m, supported by 30 columns.
Archaeologists describe it had seven floors with 3 m thick walls, which was a magnificent creation in those days. Only some of the walls and the holes to hold floor beams for higher levels are visible today.
Vatadage
Vatadage believes as built by king Parakramabahu, to hold the tooth relic of Lord Buddha during the Polonnaruwa kingdom. The purpose of vatadage is the protection of a small stupa that relic enshrined in. It considers the ultimate development of ancient architecture to build this type of sophisticated structure.
Hatadage
King Nissanka Malla built the Hatadage to house the sacred tooth relic during his reign. There are ruins of three large statues of Buddha in Hatadage. Hatadage was built using stone, brick, and wood, only parts of the brick and stone walls are now remaining.
Rankoth Vehera
Rankoth Vehera is the largest Dagaba in Polonnaruwa, which is 54 meters tall. It is the fourth largest in Sri Lanka and dates back to King Nissanka Malla. Its name literally means “golden pinnacled stupa”.
Parakrama Samudra
The biggest ancient reservoir called Parakrama Samudraya, built by King Parakramabahu is also located in Polonnaruwa. It calls as Sea of Parakrama, due to its vast surface area of 22 km2. The 3.4 m tall statue of King Parakramabahu is located on the eastern bank of Parakrama Samudra.
The ancient city of Polonnaruwa is a calm and serene place to admire the historic architecture and the great history of Sri Lanka.
3. Sigiriya
Sigiriya or Lion Rock is the eighth wonder of the world and it is the most visited tourist destination in Sri Lanka. King Kashyapa built this ancient rock fortress in the 5th century AD, on the top of massive Sigiriya rock nearly 200 m in height. Sigiriya is the most visited attraction and considers as an epic photogenic spot in the country.
The ruins include remnants of King’s palace, surrounded by an extensive network of fortifications, vast gardens, ponds, canals, and fountains. The lion gate is sculpted as a lion’s paws and it gives a grand and majestic entrance to the visitors.
Sigiriya Frescoes
Sigiriya frescoes or beautiful ancient paintings on rock walls are highly famous among visitors. The western wall of Sigiriya was almost entirely covered by frescoes, but only eighteen frescoes have survived today. The Mirror wall is made of brick masonry and covered in highly polished white plaster. Ancient visitors scribbled some verses there, but further writing on it is banned for the protection of the old writings.
The Garden of the Sigiriya is one of the most important aspects of this rock fortress. It remains the oldest landscaped garden in the world. It has many distinct features such as water gardens, boulder gardens, and terraced gardens. The park contains water retaining structures, including a sophisticated hydraulic system.
The grand architecture of Sigiriya astonishes visitors with its unique and creative ancient technical skills and technologies.
4. Dambulla
Dambulla golden temple is the largest and best-preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka. A huge 30m high, real gold-painted, seated statue of Lord Buddha locates at the entrance to the ancient cave temples. The giant Dambulla rock is 160 m in height and there are more than 5 large caves, which contain beautiful statues and paintings of Lord Buddha. The individual caves are created by building partition walls into space beneath a single huge rock overhang.
Five rock caves in Dambulla
Inside cave 1, space is almost completely filled by a 14 m long sleeping Buddha statue. This statue depicts the final passing away of the Lord Buddha. There are marvelous paintings on the walls of the cave.
Cave 2 is the largest and the most attractive, which call as a cave temple of great kings. Statues of King Valagamba and King Nissanka Malla displays here. There is a Stupa in the middle and its surrounds by 11 sated Buddha statues. The ceiling and walls display murals which consider the finest in Sri Lanka.
Cave 3 is the next larger one and there is a 9 m long reclining Buddha statue has carved out from the rock. The main attraction in cave 4 is the beautiful seated Buddha statue and identical statues around the cave. Inside cave 5, the main figure is a 10 m long reclining Buddha statue.
Other than enjoying historical artworks, the rock ascend landscape enables us to reach the top of the Dambulla Rock. It offers a panoramic view of the surrounding flatlands, including the rock fortress in Sigiriya, 20 km away.
5. Kandy
Kandy is the last ancient capital of Sri Lanka and it is the most religious and worshipped place of Buddhists, which houses the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. The Tooth relic has played a very important role in ancient times, as it is the symbol of the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. Its location shifted several times with the change of Sri Lanka’s capital until it ended up in Kandy with the last ruling monarchy.
The inside of the Sacred Temple of Tooth Relic is quite amazing. Elegant paintings decorate the walls which were drawn in the Kandyan era. This is the best place to admire the last authentic styles of Kandyan royal architecture.
There are three daily worship rituals at the Temple of Tooth. They conduct three times a day at dawn at 5.30 am, 9.30 am, and 6.30 pm in the evening. There is an amazing atmosphere during the puja times with traditional drumming and chanting. The spiritual power in this sacred place will enchant every visitor. It will be a wonderful experience for any visitor and try to visit there during the puja time.
Sacred area of Kandy
The sacred area of Kandy is quite smaller than Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa. It comprised the former royal palace complex with the Temple of Tooth and nearby shrines and temples.
More precisely, the list of Kandy’s monuments with World Heritage sites includes the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Royal Palace Complex, Shrines of Natha, Vishnu, Pattini, and Kataragama, Malwatta Temple, Asgiriya Temple, Kandy Lake, and Udawattakale forest sanctuary.
Kandy Esala Perahera
Kandy is famous for the annual celebration called Esala Perahera; a grand procession of traditional dancers and beautifully decorated elephants. The major event in this procession is the majestic tusker carrying the casket containing the sacred tooth relic.
The Kandy Esala Perahera is one of the iconic Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, which attracts thousands of devotees, as well as tourists to Kandy city. Without a doubt, this great procession is an important cultural festival you shouldn’t miss in Sri Lanka.
6. Galle
Galle is a charming and historical city located at the southern tip of Sri Lanka. Dutch Fort, the fortified old city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century is a world-famous attraction.
The original fort built by the Portuguese to defend Galle was an earthen structure. The Dutch developed it with granite stones to make it stronger. It was the main port of the island during the colonial Dutch period.
The fort has two gates, a small old one and a big new one, use as the main gate. There is a 25 m high clock tower, closer to the main gate. After the fort came under the control of the British, they made many modifications to the fort such as the building of British-type houses and 18 m high lighthouse on the Galle Fort. Galle Lighthouse stands on the fort’s southeast tip. The Galle Lighthouse and clock tower have become the iconic symbols of Galle City.
Ancient monuments in Dutch Fort
Galle remains a unique monument complex of a fortified city with a fusion of several European-style buildings including Portuguese, Dutch, and British architecture. The ancient Dutch and British churches are still prevailing in Galle Fort. Galle National Museum is located in the oldest remaining Dutch building in the Galle Fort. It displays southern Sri Lankan artifacts such as ritual masks, wood carvings, and objects from the colonial era.
7. Sinharaja Forest
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a primary tropical rainforest located in Sri Lanka’s Southwest region. It is the only remaining least disturbed virgin rainforest in Sri Lanka. The reserve is 21 km from east to west and 7 km from north to south with a total area of 89 square km. It is a tropical wet evergreen forest with large trees that grow up to heights of 40-50m. More than 60% of these trees are endemic and rare species.
Due to its rich biodiversity and ecological importance, it is a declared world heritage site. It is home to over 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals, birds, and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles, and rare amphibians. It is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for hiking and trekking, as well as bird watching.
Eco-Tourism in Sinharaja Forest
It is an eco-tourism hot spot and a bird sanctuary for nature lovers who want to explore stunning plant, bird, and animal life. It is a treasure trove of many endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Although wildlife is not easy to see as dry zone national parks such as Yala, Sinharaja is a quite famous destination among nature lovers.
The access to explore Sinharaja is only by foot, accompanied by a ranger or travel guide. This journey will make a truly authentic jungle experience. The best starting point for visits is Deniyaya from the East or Kudawa from the North. The Kudawa entrance is the main and the most used one.
This rainforest is located in an area with the highest rainfall, so frequent rains are normal. During South West Monsoon in May – September, there will be heavy rains. Thus, the overall best period to explore the forest reserve is the driest months from January – March.
The rainforest can explore only on foot. It recommends wearing boots, as the park is a common environment for leeches and many kinds of reptiles.
8. Central Highlands
The world heritage sites in the central highlands of Sri Lanka are comprised of 3 parts; Horton Plains National Park, Knuckles Conservation Forest, and Adam’s Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. Certainly, these forests are highly rich in biodiversity and give a home to many endemic birds and plants. More than half of the country’s flowering plants and 34% of endemic trees restricted to these areas.
The altitude of these forests is over 2500 m and there are unique flora and fauna present. Some species are not only endemic to Sri Lanka but also to this particular region. These forests consider a globally important habitat and super biodiversity hot spot along with the Western Ghats in India.
Horton Plains
The Horton Plains is the highest-altitude national park in Sri Lanka. The World’s End in Horton Plain is a famous tourist destination. To clarify, World’s End is a sheer precipice with a 1000 m drop, which locates at the southern boundary of the park. It gives a spectacular view of the surrounding lowland and far distances up to hundreds of miles on a clear day.
Furthermore, many water pools and waterfalls are present in Horton Plains. It is the ecologically most important area of the country, as it is the headwaters of 3 important rivers, Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe Rivers. It is a highly biologically diverse area, with unique flora and fauna belonging to this particular region.
Knuckles Mountain Range
Knuckles is a Mountain Range in the central highlands, consisting of 27 mountains all above 1,000 m in height. From a distance, five peaks give the impression of the knuckles of a clenched fist, which led it to be called as Knuckles Mountain Range. Knuckles Range is a famous spot for camping and waterfall hunting with the most beautiful sights in Sri Lanka.
This forest reserve is home to a number of endemic flora and fauna unique only to this area. This area shows the ultimate beauty of Sri Lankan central highlands. The sceneries of misty mountains are quite a breathtaking sight to see, especially during the early hours of the morning.
Adam’s Peak Wilderness Sanctuary
Adam’s Peak Wilderness Sanctuary is a tropical rainforest that spreads over a land of 224 square km around Sri Pada Mountain. It is the island’s second tallest mountain at a height of 2,243 m. Certainly, Climbing Adam’s Peak is a major attraction for local and foreign visitors. Definitely, the view of sunrise from the summit is the ultimate reward for those who complete this challenging journey.
This wilderness sanctuary gives home to many unique species believed to be already extinct. In October 2009, the world’s rarest Sri Lankan Kandyan dwarf toad was rediscovered in this sanctuary. This toad species was considered extinct for 133 years. Moreover, the world’s rarest Black Panther was rediscovered in this sanctuary in 2020.
To sum up, the world heritage sites in Sri Lanka are staggeringly beautiful elements, each with its own distinctive characteristics. These outstanding 8 places of Sri Lanka possess some of the island’s unique cultural, and historical architecture, as well as the most spectacular, breathtaking scenic beauty. Certainly, they are completely worthy of their inclusion in your travel plan. As well, let’s protect them for future generations.
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka, Images by Wikimedia Commons, Pixabay, Copyrights reserved by original authors.
