Lankathilaka Rajamaha Vihara is located in the Kandy district. The Lankatilaka temple is said to belong to the 14th century. This temple was built by the minister Senadhilankara who was the Chief Minister under the patronage of King Bhuvanekabahu IV. It is said in history that this was built as a 4 storied building. However, due to the later Portuguese and Dutch invasions, only 2 floors can be seen here today.
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However, due to security reasons, common people have no chance to enter the second floor here. This Lankathilaka temple is also shown as the first temple built as a building at that time.
This Lankathilaka temple is also seen on the 500 rupee note of Sri Lanka. At the entrance to this temple, there are two ancient paintings on the two walls. These two paintings have not been seen for some time and have resurfaced in later excavations.
Next to the Lankathilaka temple, there is a large inscription in ancient Sinhalese and Tamil. There is a special feature of the Buddha statues inside the Lankathilaka temple. In other words, the tradition of Anuradhapura and Polonnaru in Sri Lanka has a slightly different form. The reason is that these Buddha statues belong to the South Indian Pallava tradition.
How to reach Lankathilaka from Colombo
Car
The full journey takes approximately 3-4 hours via Colombo - Kandy - Pilimathalawa, The distance between Colombo to Kandy is about 118km but it depends on road traffic conditions.
Bus
There are direct buses from Colombo to Kandy Good Shed Bus Station station, You can take a bus from the Colombo central bus stand, and the journey may take around 3 to 4 hours. From there you have to take a taxi or tuk-tuk to Lankathilaka.
Colombo - Kandy (Bus No 01)
Also, You can get via Highway Buses from Colombo to Kandy
Colombo - Kandy (Ex - 03, Ex - 04)
Train
You can take a train from the Colombo Fort railway station, and the journey may take around 3 - 4 hours. The distance between Colombo to Kandy is about 118km. From there you have to take a taxi or tuk-tuk to Lankathilaka. It's recommended to check the train schedule and book tickets, especially during peak times.
