Menikkadawara Tampita Rajamaha Viharaya

The Tampita Viharaya is situated in a small village of Menikkadawara in Kegalle district sabaragamuwa proince. 

To reach the site, travel through Nelumdeniya on Kandy Road. Then take the Dedigama road from Nelumdeniya junction. In 5.7 km, you will get the Menikkadawara road. The site is just 1.2 km down this road. 

The Menikkadawara Rajamaha Viharaya believed to have been built during the Kandyan period. 

Tempita Vihara (Temple on Pillars) is a unique type of image house found in some Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. These buildings have a distinctive architectural design. In the 17th-19th century, these Tempita Viharas were a popular aspect of many Buddhist temples. 

It is built on 14 granite stumps. The wooden platform laid across the stumps. The Vihare-Ge would have been open on all sides to a veranda, now a brick wall. The image house, probably dating back to the 18th or 19th centuries, is decorated with frescoes of the Buddha life in Jataka stories. However, some of the murals in the image house show solid European influences. The Portuguese fort of Menikkadawara is very close to the Tampita