Central Sri Lanka takes a unique position in the Buddhist geography of the island.

While the north central plains are associated with ancient capitals and early monastic civilisation, and the south with living continuity and forest practice, the central region represents synthesis. Here, Buddhism exists simultaneously as royal tradition, scholastic lineage, forest discipline, pilgrimage practice, and everyday devotion.

Kandy, Dambulla, and the surrounding hill and dry zone transition areas form a dense spiritual network shaped by kingship, relic veneration, meditation lineages, and reform movements. Buddhism in central Sri Lanka is both ceremonial and austere, public and hidden, monumental and inward.

This article explores the most significant Buddhist temples, monasteries, and sacred sites in central Sri Lanka, with emphasis on historical role, spiritual function, and present day practice rather than tourism.

Buddhism in the Central Highlands

The central region became the political and spiritual heart of Sri Lanka after the decline of the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. The Kingdom of Kandy preserved Buddhist kingship, monastic ordination lineages, and ritual continuity during periods of foreign invasion and colonial pressure.

Central Sri Lanka is defined by three overlapping Buddhist modes. These include royal and urban temples connected to governance and ritual, monastic centres of learning and ordination, and forest and cave monasteries dedicated to meditation and renunciation. Together, they form a complete Buddhist ecosystem.

Sri Dalada Maligawa – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Kandy

Sri Dalada Maligawa is the most revered Buddhist site in Sri Lanka. It houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, regarded as the symbolic foundation of legitimate kingship and national spiritual protection.

Since the Kandyan period, guardianship of the relic has been inseparable from political authority. The temple is not only a place of devotion but a living institution that anchors ritual calendars, national identity, and Buddhist continuity.

Daily rituals, known as thevava, continue without interruption. Annual Esala Perahera processions reaffirm the relationship between relic, land, and people. While heavily visited, the temple remains an active ritual centre rather than a static monument.

Malwatte and Asgiriya Monastic Chapters, Kandy

Malwatte Maha Viharaya and Asgiriya Maha Viharaya are the two principal monastic chapters of the Siam Nikaya, the dominant monastic lineage in Sri Lanka.

These monasteries are responsible for ordination, doctrinal guardianship, and ritual leadership. They represent scholastic and administrative Buddhism, deeply connected to Kandyan kingship and temple governance.

Although largely inaccessible to casual visitors, their influence shapes monastic discipline, education, and national Buddhist affairs.

Udawattakele Forest Monastery, Kandy

Udawattakele is a protected forest reserve that historically served as a royal sanctuary and monastic retreat. Hidden within the forest are meditation hermitages, cave dwellings, and small monasteries.

This site represents the coexistence of royal patronage and forest discipline. Even today, Udawattakele maintains an atmosphere of silence and withdrawal, despite its proximity to Kandy city.

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple, Kandy

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple is a Kandyan era rock temple known for its murals depicting Jataka stories, scenes from the Buddha’s life, and historical events.

Unlike earlier cave temples, Degaldoruwa reflects late Kandyan artistic and doctrinal expression. It functions as both devotional space and visual teaching medium, linking narrative, ethics, and history.

International Buddhist Museum, Kandy

While not a traditional temple, the International Buddhist Museum plays a significant educational role. It presents global Buddhist traditions, histories, and cultural expressions, reinforcing Kandy’s position as an international Buddhist centre

Dambulla Cave Temple, Dambulla

Dambulla is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Dating back to the 1st century BCE, it contains more than eighty caves, five major shrine complexes, and hundreds of Buddha images.

The caves are richly painted with murals spanning multiple historical periods. Dambulla reflects uninterrupted monastic use across centuries, surviving political shifts and regional changes.

Unlike archaeological ruins, Dambulla remains an active pilgrimage site. Ritual offerings, chanting, and meditation continue daily, maintaining the original function of the caves.

Aluvihare Rock Temple, Matale

Aluvihare holds exceptional doctrinal importance. It is traditionally recognised as the site where the Pali Canon was first written down in Sri Lanka during the first century BCE.

The temple complex includes caves, forest paths, and meditation spaces. Aluvihare symbolises the transition from oral transmission to textual preservation, anchoring Sri Lanka’s role in safeguarding Theravada Buddhism.

Na Uyana Aranya Senasanaya, Dambulla / Matale

Na Uyana is one of the most important contemporary forest monasteries in Sri Lanka. It combines strict Vinaya discipline, meditation practice, and scholarly study.

The monastery has been influential in reviving forest practice and supporting international monastics. Access is regulated, reflecting its role as a serious practice environment rather than a public attraction.

Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve and Monastery, Central Region

Ritigala is one of the most austere and ancient forest monastic sites in Sri Lanka. Though geographically transitional between central and north central regions, it is spiritually integral to central Buddhist history.

The site contains ruins of ancient monastic buildings deep within dense forest. Ritigala was historically associated with strict ascetic practice and remains symbolically linked to renunciation and discipline.

Nalanda Gedige, Matale

Nalanda Gedige is an unusual stone structure reflecting syncretic architectural influences. While not a functioning temple today, it demonstrates the historical interaction between Buddhist and Hindu artistic traditions in central Sri Lanka.

Its presence highlights the complexity of religious history rather than a single linear tradition.

Three Temple Loop, Matale

The Three Temple Loop, consisting of Aluvihare, Dambulla, and Nalanda, represents doctrinal preservation, devotional continuity, and cultural synthesis. Together, they illustrate how Buddhism adapted across geography and time.

Forest and Hermitage Tradition in Central Sri Lanka

Beyond named monasteries, central Sri Lanka contains numerous forest hermitages and meditation dwellings, often unmarked and inaccessible. These sites sustain the forest monk lineage central to Theravada authenticity.

Their invisibility is intentional. Practice here prioritises withdrawal, discipline, and silence over engagement.

Central Sri Lanka includes some of the most visited Buddhist sites in the country, yet they remain active religious environments. Visitors are expected to dress modestly, move quietly, and respect ritual boundaries.

Forest monasteries often require permission and may restrict access. These limitations protect the integrity of practice rather than exclude outsiders.

A Living and Layered Tradition

Central Sri Lanka does not represent a single mode of Buddhism. It is layered. Royal ritual, scholastic authority, forest renunciation, pilgrimage devotion, and modern reform coexist within a relatively small region.

This density creates a living Buddhist landscape rather than a museum of sacred sites.

The Buddhist temples and monasteries of central Sri Lanka form the structural heart of the island’s spiritual life. From the relic centred ritual of Kandy to the cave sanctuaries of Dambulla and the forest discipline of Na Uyana and Ritigala, the region reflects the full architecture of Theravada Buddhism.

To engage meaningfully with central Sri Lanka requires patience and discernment. These sites exist first as places of practice and continuity, not display. Within that framework, they reveal a tradition that has adapted, endured, and remained alive across centuries.