Kandyan Architecture – A Walking Tour

Duration: 2-3 Hours

Highlights: Surrounded by hills and cooler temperatures, Kandy is a perfect contrast to the island’s prevailing tropical weather. This particular walking tour reveals why the architecture in Kandy stands out from the rest.

Itinerary

Start your walking tour in the heart of Kandy, at the Queens Hotel, formally a Governor’s residence. Admire the old colonial buildings that have been renovated to host shops and offices and, if you’re feeling adventurous, amble through the local market where local vendors sell handicrafts, fruit, baskets and more. A trip to Kandy is not complete without visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. As you enter the 29-foot long tunnel entrance, you are surrounded by the sweet smell of flowers and incense as well as the sound of drums and flute. Ascend the granite steps; it is precisely here where, every year during the annual Esala Perahara festival, the golden casket carrying the sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha is placed on the temple’s devoted tusker. On the upper floor shrine room, just behind the glittering outer wall if where the golden casket lies. Other interesting spaces to visit within the Temple include the Pattrippuwa which used to be from where the King would address the nation and today is where every new president elect takes oath and the Magul Maduwa, or Audience Hall, which is one of the best examples of Kandyan wood carvings. Before ending your tour, walk past the wrought-iron fountain, installed by the English coffee planters and perhaps visit the National Museum of Kandy.
This evening, at dusk, you may enjoy a stroll around Kandy Lake to reflect on your day and enjoy the cooler climate.