Weherahena Temple

An Interesting Backstory

One of the more unique Buddhist temples in the island, the Weherahena Temple is a large tunnel temple, which is believed to be the first and largest in the entire world, which makes up for its lack of ancient history. The temple’s history can be traced back to the early part of the 19th century when a particular monk was banished by his teacher. Having only minimal supplies, the monk was able to gather the villagers in the area to build a small clay house for him. The monk eventually came up with the idea of making his home into a great temple dedicated to the noble teachings of Lord Buddha. 

Why You Should Visit

The most notable feature from the outside is the large statue of Lord Buddha in the seated position, which was the idea of the monk who first settled down. On the other hand, the most notable feature when inside the temple is the vast tunnelling system that has been made, keeping its title of being one of the more unique temples in the island. The tunnel walls are intricately painted with Jataka tales (the previous lives of the Lord Buddha), making the walk through the inner sanctum of the temple all the more interesting.