Kandy

Kandy is Sri Lanka’s second most important city and it is full of attractions and interesting destination to visit for tourists.

Buddhist temples with historical values are rampant in and around Kandy. Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist shrine, the temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa situated just east of the Kandy city. The legendary Buddha’s Tooth is kept in this temple and thousands of devotees flocked into this temple daily to worship the Tooth Relic.

The sacred Tooth Relic had been brought to Sri Lanka during the sixteenth century. The main temple was built during the same period by King Vimala Dharma Suriya. This temple was modified at various times by Sri Lankan kings afterwards.

Peradeniya Botanical gardens is 6 kilometers away from Kandy town near the country’s longest river Mahaweli and it is the finest botanical gardens in Sri Lanka. Peradeniya Botanical Garden is approximately 150 acres in extent. Variety of foreign and local trees and plant species can be seen in this botanical garden. This garden was established in the fourteenth century by the time of Sri Lankan kings. According to the history, King Wickramabahu III first made this area a royal residence. Later in 18th century by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha made this area a royal park to cater to the noble families only. The park was transformed into a botanical garden by the British during the era of colonial rule in 1821. Sri Lanka’s first tea tree was planted in this Botanical Garden in 1824.

Kandyan dancing and drumming is originated in Kandy as part of an honour to God Khomba. This is a key element in Kandy Esala Perahera which is held in the month of August and it is an annual cultural pageant. This is an extravagant cultural display held in honour of sacred tooth Relic in Knady and this cultural show is very famous among tourists who visit to Sri Lanka..

Kandy is full of Kandyan era temples which display the Sri Lankan Buddhist art, culture and architecture. Embekke Devale, Lankatilake, Galadeniya, Gangarama Viharaya, Degaloruwa, Galmaduwa Gedige are some of the most interesting and important temples in Kandy.