Ridi Viharaya
A temple from the 2nd century BCE at Ridigama, called the Silver Temple because silver ore found here paid for the completion of the Ruwanweli stupa. According to the Mahavamsa, King Dutugemunu built it in gratitude.
- Where
- Kurunegala, North Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 7.5500, 80.4833
Get the Ridi Viharaya stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Ridi Viharaya. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your North Western Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Ridi Viharaya
Aluvihare Rock Temple 16 km
A cave temple among boulders 30 km north of Kandy on the Matale road, traced back to King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC. It is where monks are said to have first written down the Buddhist Pali Canon, on palm leaves, in the 1st century BC.
Sri Muthumariamman Temple 17 km
A Hindu temple in Matale dedicated to the goddess Mariamman. Its tall gopuram gateway is covered in rows of brightly painted figures of gods and guardians, and it is one of the best known Hindu temples in the central hills.
Nalanda Gedige 22 km
A complete stone temple near Matale, built between the 8th and 10th centuries in a Dravidian style more often seen in South India. Its original site is said to be the geographical centre of Sri Lanka, and an inscription found there shows it served as a Buddhist monastery.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage 30 km
A breeding and care centre for Asian elephants near Kegalle, home to the largest captive herd in the world: 71 animals across three generations in 2023. Each day the herd is walked down to the river to bathe.
Udawatta Kele Sanctuary 33 km
A 104 hectare forest reserve on the ridge above Kandy's old royal palace. Under the kings it was Uda Wasala Watta, the garden above the palace; today its trails and tangled lianas are known for their birdlife.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya 33 km
Botanic gardens about 5.5 km west of Kandy, by the Mahaweli River, holding more than 4000 species of plants. They are best known for their orchid house, and also grow spices, medicinal plants and long avenues of palms, with the National Herbarium attached.
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic 33 km
A Buddhist temple in the royal palace complex of the old Kandyan kingdom, home to the relic of the Buddha's tooth. The relic was long held by Sinhalese kings, and the temple is a World Heritage Site because of it; each year it is paraded through Kandy in the Esala Perahera.
Kandy Lake 33 km
An artificial lake in the heart of Kandy, built in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe beside the Temple of the Tooth. Locals call it Kiri Muhuda, the Sea of Milk; fishing is banned, and a shaded path runs around its edge.
More hidden gems in North Western Province
Questions
Where is Ridi Viharaya?
Ridi Viharaya is in Kurunegala, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Aluvihare Rock Temple (16 km), Sri Muthumariamman Temple (17 km), Nalanda Gedige (22 km).
How do I get the Ridi Viharaya stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Ridi Viharaya and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your North Western Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Ridi Viharaya before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your North Western Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.