Morapaya Rajamaha Viharaya

Morapaya Rajamaha Viharaya is a historic Buddhist temple near Padiyapelella. Its best-known object is a small gold-plated standing Buddha image, about twenty-three inches high. Local tradition connects the image with the arahant Maliyadeva and tells of its recovery after a landslide, but these accounts should be understood as temple tradition rather than securely dated history. The site remains an active place of worship rather than a formal museum.