Photo: Sharada deshan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMulkirigala Raja Maha Vihara
Verification: in review · Coordinates: unverified
What is this site?
A 205-meter-high sheer rock monastery rising across five distinct terraces, housing seven cave temples with reclining Buddhas and Sittara murals.
Why it matters
The discovery site where British civil servant George Turnour located the Mahavamsa Tika palm-leaf commentaries in 1826, enabling the translation of the Mahavamsa.
Description
Dating back to King Saddhatissa in the 2nd century BCE; extensively refurbished in the 18th century as a key southern center of the Kandyan monastic revival. Associated patrons (as supplied): King Saddhatissa, Kandyan Era Nayaka Theros. Key features to look for: Steep stone stairways carved directly into the sheer cliff face; Southern-school continuous narrative murals inside the cave shrines; Monolithic recumbent Buddha statues inside the upper caves; Summit white with 360-degree views of the southern coastline.
Photos
Historical and scholarly sources
- Reference as supplied in project dataset (pending verification): Gazetted Ancient Monument Schedule
Visiting responsibly
Dress modestly at religious sites, remove shoes and hats where requested, never climb on monuments or pose with your back to Buddha images, and follow guidance from custodians and the Department of Archaeology.