Heritage Atlas

Sri Lanka's Heritage & Historic Places

Explore the island's living history, one place at a time.

Open full-screen map
Loading map of Sri Lanka…

Inscribed by UNESCO

8 World Heritage Properties

Six cultural and two natural properties — official parent entities, distinct from the monuments inside them.

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa★ 1982

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

cultural heritage · North Central

Sacred City of Anuradhapura★ 1982

Sacred City of Anuradhapura

cultural heritage · North Central

Ancient City of Sigiriya★ 1982

Ancient City of Sigiriya

cultural heritage · Central

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications★ 1988

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications

cultural heritage · Southern

Sacred City of Kandy★ 1988

Sacred City of Kandy

cultural heritage · Central

Sinharaja Forest Reserve★ 1988

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

natural heritage · Sabaragamuwa

Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple★ 1991

Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple

cultural heritage · Central

Central Highlands of Sri Lanka★ 2010

Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

natural heritage · Central

Explore by Province

Western

බස්නාහිර · மேல் · 3 districts

5

published

Central

මධ්‍යම · மத்திய · 3 districts

15

published

Southern

දකුණු · தென் · 3 districts

6

published

Northern

උතුරු · வட · 5 districts

7

published

Eastern

නැගෙනහිර · கிழக்கு · 3 districts

5

published

North Western

වයඹ · வட மேல் · 2 districts

5

published

North Central

උතුරු මැද · வட மத்திய · 2 districts

19

published

Uva

ඌව · ஊவா · 2 districts

7

published

Sabaragamuwa

සබරගමුව · சப்ரகமுவ · 2 districts

9

published

Across the Ages

Approximate periods used by historians; boundaries overlap and are debated.

  1. 01

    Prehistoric

    before c. 500 BCE

  2. 02

    Early Historic

    c. 500 – 250 BCE

  3. 03

    Anuradhapura

    c. 377 BCE – 1017 CE

  4. 04

    Polonnaruwa

    c. 1017 – 1232 CE

  5. 05

    Transitional

    c. 1232 – 1597 CE

  6. 06

    Kandyan

    c. 1469 – 1815 CE

  7. 07

    Portuguese & Dutch

    1505 – 1796 CE

  8. 08

    British

    1796 – 1948 CE

  9. 09

    Modern

    1948 CE –