Religious places in Sri Lanka -Relish the rich cultural heritage

Home to some of the most iconic religious structures, choosing what places to see in Sri Lanka can be a challenging task for first time visitors.

Diversity of Sri Lanka’s Religious Sites

As a primarily Buddhist nation a vast majority of Sri Lanka’s religious sites are Buddhist temples, monasteries and ancient structures devoted to monks and Buddhist teaching. The country’s religious highlights are not restricted to Buddhist sites alone.

Hindu temples
Hindu temples occupy the island’s southern reaches (Kataragama) while a large number of colonial churches and cathedrals in Negombo, a coastal town, has earned it comparisons with Rome. Travellers planning to visit religious sites in this area can base themselves in centrally located hotels such as the Uga Escapes which also gives easy access to the many attractions in the town.

Golden Temple of Dambulla

The Golden Temple of Dambulla or the Dambulla cave temple is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. All the paintings and sculptors here dedicated to portraying the life of Lord Gautama Buddha.

The St. Mary’s Church
The St. Mary’s Church, located in the Negombo of the town is a charming edifice. It is one of the largest Catholic churches in Sri Lanka, built in 1874. Other ancient churches worth visiting and exploring include the Katuwapitiya Church, the Grand Street Church, the Thalahena Church, Saint Philp Neri Church and Ivary Worship Church.