Madu Church
The Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, commonly known as Madu Church, is the most sacred Catholic pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka, drawing over a million devotees each year to a remote jungle clearing in the Northern Province. The original statue is believed to have been brought by Catholics fleeing persecution in the 17th century, […]
Gangaramaya Temple
Gangaramaya Temple is a sprawling, eclectic complex that has grown over more than a century into a repository of Buddhist art, culture and religious devotion. The temple houses a collection of gifts from Buddhist communities around the world: statues, relics, antique vehicles, ceremonial objects and artworks from Thailand, Japan, China, Myanmar and beyond, creating a […]
Red Mosque (Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque)
The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, known popularly as the Red Mosque, is one of Colombo’s most distinctive and beloved landmarks, a striking 19th-century Islamic place of worship built in vivid red and white candy-striped stonework that stands in contrast to the chaotic commercial streets of Pettah around it. Built in 1909, the mosque remains an active […]
Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee
The Koneswaram Temple is one of the five ancient Pancha Ishwarams, the sacred Shiva temples of Sri Lanka, positioned on the summit of Swami Rock, a sheer clifftop that plunges directly into the deep blue waters of Trincomalee Bay. The original ancient temple was partially destroyed by Portuguese colonisers in the 17th century, but has […]
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
The Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy is the holiest Buddhist site in Sri Lanka and one of the most venerated shrines, housing the left canine tooth of the Buddha. The golden-roofed temple complex sits at the edge of Kandy Lake at the heart of the ancient royal city and its daily puja ceremonies […]