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Maviddapuram Kanthaswamy Kovil
Maviddapuram Kanthaswamy Kovil survived bombings and looting in the war and is now flourishing again. The priests here are very friendly and will probably do a puja for you if you like (otherwise, it’s at 11.30am).
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Sela Chetiya
Nearby to the Ambasthale Dagoba is the Sela Chetiya, which has a stone rendering of the Buddha’s footprint. It’s surrounded by a railing festooned with prayer flags left by pilgrims, who have also scattered coins here.
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Sambodhi Chaitiya
Just north of the lighthouse, you wont be able to miss this bombastic white dagoba (stupa) perched about 20m off the ground on huge, incongruous curving concrete legs so that sailors could see it from offshore.
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Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam
Just north of the bus stop for Kandy (at the north end of town) is this interesting Hindu temple. A priest will show you the five enormous, colourful ceremonial chariots pulled along by people during an annual festival.
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Dutch Market
Look for the Dutch Market, with its displays of fruits and vegetables under a 300-year-old columned roof. There are other food and spice markets along Main St, as well as a busy row of shops that make for interesting browsing.
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Independence Memorial Hall
Really a large memorial building to Sri Lanka’s 1948 independence from Britain, the huge stone edifice is loosely based on Kandy’s Audience Hall. This is a good place to escape Colombo’s crowds as it always seems almost empty.
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National Maritime Museum
Nestled in the old walls, this small museum is worth a quick look for its skeleton of a Brydes whale and a very useful model that explains how tsunamis occur. There are also some dusty mannequins demonstrating old fishing techniques.
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Sri Ponnambalam Vanesar Kovil
In Kotahena, northeast of Pettah, you’ll find this temple built of South Indian granite. During the harvest festival of Thai Pongal (held in January) devotees flock to Hindu temples, which become even more colourful and lively.
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St Lucia’s Cathedral
This enormous 1887 cathedral lies in the Catholic heart of the Kotahena district. The biggest church in Sri Lanka has an exterior inspired by St Peters in Rome. It can hold up to 5000 worshippers in its rather plain interior.
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Rajagirilena
Nearby to Indikatu Seya is this hill that’s been dubbed Rajagirilena (Royal Cave Hill) after the caves found here with Brahmi inscriptions in them. One of the caves bears the name of Devanampiya Tissa. A flight of steps leads up to the caves.
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Point Utrecht Bastion
The eastern section of Galles wall ends at the Point Utrecht Bastion, close to the powder magazine, which bears a Dutch inscription from 1782. The bastion is topped by the landmark 18m-high lighthouse , which dates to 1938 and is still in use.
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Kallady & Navalady Peninsula
This long, beach-edged peninsula is home to the Kallady and Navalady neighbourhoods. Kallady has a lovely near-deserted strip of beach thats fine for a swim, though theres still plenty of tsunami damage evident and not that much shade.
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Dutch Bay
Right in the centre of Trinco is the attractive and picturesque Dutch Bay. Swimming is possible despite sometimes dangerous undertows. However, it’s more a place for strolling, and ice-cream sellers cater to the evening passeggiata .
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Satmahal Prasada
In the northeast corner stands the unusual ziggurat-style Satmahal Prasada, which consists of six diminishing storeys (there used to be seven), shaped like a stepped pyramid. Check out the figurines set in niches within its crumbling walls.
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Selvachannithy Murugan Kovil
Like so many places on the peninsula, the charming, waterfront Selvachannithy Murugan Kovil (also known as Sella Sannathy Kovil) was severely damaged during the war, but today the important Murugan temple is a scenic stop, with a lively puja .
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Kataragama Museum
This archaeological museum inside the complex has a collection of Hindu and Buddhist religious items, as well as huge fibreglass replicas of statues from around Sri Lanka. However, youll need a guide to provide context as the labelling is woeful.
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Mahinda’s Cave
There is a path leading northeast from the Ambasthale Dagoba down to a cave where there is a large flat stone. This is said to be where Mahinda lived and the stone is claimed to be where he rested. The track to the cave is hard on tender bare feet.
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Cave I (Devaraja Viharaya)
The first cave, the Temple of the King of the Gods, has a 15m-long reclining Buddha. Ananda, the Buddha’s loyal disciple, and other seated Buddhas are depicted nearby. A statue of Vishnu is held in a small shrine within the cave, but it’s usually closed.
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Salli Muthumariamunam Kovil
The beachfront Salli Muthumariamunam Kovil temple is 4km by road from Uppuveli but only a short wade (or hop by boat if the tide is high) from the north end of Uppuveli beach. It’s across Fishermen’s Creek, masked from view by green-topped rocks.
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Old Galle Buck Lighthouse
It was built in 1954 and is surrounded by old cannons. Climb up onto the large central terrace for views of the ocean and the rapidly expanding commercial port. The immediate area is getting a bit of a polish, with some modest stops for refreshments.
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