Nalanda Gedige Shrine
The shrine, which was built roughly 1100 years ago, is an extraordinary combination of Hindu and Buddhist architecture.
It was a challenging time in Sri Lanka because South Indian rulers were attempting to build their kingdoms in Sri Lanka under a weak Sinhalese kingdom.
Nalanda Gedige was then abandoned and forgotten until it was discovered in 1893. Later in the 1980s, the shrine was threatened by flooding as a result of the construction of the Bowatenne Tank. As a result, the shrine was moved to the retaining wall of the tank, well above the water. Surprisingly, the shrine’s original location was right in the center of Sri Lanka.
Additional information
Nearby Attractions
The most popular nearby attraction
- Dambulla Cave Temple (30km)
Accommodation
Accommodation (within 10km)
- Star Classified hotels- Yes (up to 4 star)
- International Chain Hotels- No
- Boutique Hotels- Yes
- Resorts- No
- Ayurvedic Hotels- No
- Inns/Guest Houses- Yes
- Hostels- No
- Homestays- No
- Eco Hotels- No
* You might still find preferred accommodation in nearby cities.
Distance
Distance from (estimate)
- CMB Airport- 127km (travel time: 3hrs 30min)
- Colombo City- 158km (travel time: 4hrs 10min)
- Sigiriya Rock Fortress- 48km (travel time: 1hrs 20min)
- Anuradhapura Ancient City- 97km (travel time: 2hrs 15min)
- Polonnaruwa Ancient City- 90km (travel time: 2hrs)
- Kandy City- 50km (travel time: 1hrs 50min)
- Galle Dutch Fort- 255km (travel time: 5hrs 10min)
* The time and distance are only given to give you an idea. There are stopovers between the two locations. The cities listed above are some of the most popular tourist attractions in Sri Lanka.
Best Time
Season
- Year round