Tissamaharama Temple

Thissamaharamaya is located in Southern province of Sri Lanka. It used to be the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna on 3rd century B.C. Only few buildings from that period can still be seen today. The large artificial Tissa Wewa lake, which was a part of a sophisticated irrigation system, also dates from that time.

Today , the town mainly serves as a starting point of visits to Yala National park and Katharagama.

Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara is a Buddhist temple in Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka. It was built in the 2nd century BC by King Kavan Tissa of Ruhuna (Southern Sri Lanka). The site was consecrated by Lord Buddha himself, who spent some time in meditation there with 500 arhats (individuals who have reached enlightenment). The Tissamaharama Dagoba which is situated in the premises of Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara is one of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka. A stupa is a Buddhist dome-shaped religious monument found largely on the Indian subcontinent and also called a dagoba in Sri Lanka.