Bahirawakanda Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya

Bahirawakanda Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya stands on the hill immediately north-west of central Kandy. Its defining landmark is the large seated Buddha in meditation posture, completed in 1992 and formally opened in January 1993. The statue rises above the temple buildings and is visible from many parts of the city. Visitors who climb to the upper terraces can also look across Kandy and the surrounding hills. Although the site is modern rather than an ancient monument, its scale and position have made it one of the city’s most recognisable religious landmarks.