Gadaladeniya Vihara, Buddhist temple in Pilimathalawa, Sri Lanka.
The temple stands on a massive granite platform with two brick shikharas, featuring a shrine room accessed through a carved dragon arch entrance.
King Bhuvanaikabahu IV commissioned South Indian architect Ganesvarachari to construct this temple in 1334, incorporating both Dravidian and Sinhalese designs.
The main shrine contains a 2.43-meter Buddha statue in meditation pose, while secondary structures include spaces for traditional percussion performances and religious ceremonies.
Located 12.5 kilometers from Kandy along Gadaladenyia Road B116, the temple remains an active center of Buddhist worship and meditation.
The temple structure combines granite construction with octagonal brick towers that transform into dagoba shapes, reflecting an architectural fusion found nowhere else in Sri Lanka.
Location: Pilimathalawa
Inception: 1334
Founders: Bhuvanaikabahu IV of Gampola
GPS coordinates: 7.25731,80.55608
Latest update: May 12, 2025 23:04
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