Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Ancient · Buddhist · Sri Lanka

Warana Raja Maha Vihara

Gampaha District, Western Province · 7.1043°, 80.0747°

Gautama Buddha (cave image house of Buddha statues)AnuradhapuraCave temple
Sacred since
307 BCE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
3rd c. BCE (Devanampiya Tissa)
Anuradhapura

History & significance

A terraced cave monastery on three levels whose foundation is attributed to King Devanampiya Tissa, holding Buddha images, wall paintings and a stupa on its middle terrace. Later kings including Valagamba, Nissanka Malla, Parakramabahu VI and Kirti Sri Rajasinha are recorded as renovating it.

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Related sites

Ruwanwelisaya Stupa
Anuradhapura · Sri Lanka
c. 140 BCE; restored 20th c.
Girihandu Seya
Thiriyai, Trincomalee District · Sri Lanka
enlarged 8th c.; repaired 11th c.
Somawathiya Chaitya
Somawathiya National Park, Polonnaruwa District · Sri Lanka
2nd c. BCE (reign of Kavan Tissa)
Asgiriya Raja Maha Vihara, Gampaha
Gampaha · Sri Lanka
trad. King Valagamba, 1st c. BCE
Gonagolla Vihara
Gonagolla, Ampara District · Sri Lanka
3rd c. BCE stupa; frescoes 3rd c. CE
Nagadeepa Purana Vihara
Nainativu, Jaffna District · Sri Lanka
rebuilt under Devanampiya Tissa and Dutugemunu

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Anuradhapura