Maligawila Buddha
A standing Buddha carved from a single block of limestone in the 7th century by Prince Aggabodhi of Ruhuna, the tallest free standing ancient Buddha statue in the country. Found broken into pieces in 1951, it was put back together and raised upright again in 1980.
- Where
- Monaragala, Uva, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 6.7284, 81.3523
Get the Maligawila Buddha stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Maligawila Buddha. 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 Uva volume with your photos and a note.
Near Maligawila Buddha
Yala National Park 26 km
A 979 square kilometre park on the Indian Ocean, protected since 1900, with monsoon forest, scrub, lagoons and beach. It is the best known place in Sri Lanka to see leopards, and also shelters elephants and 215 species of birds.
Buduruvagala 31 km
Seven figures carved in the 10th century into one rock face in the forest near Wellawaya. The giant standing Buddha still carries traces of its stucco robe and orange paint, and beside it stand Mahayana figures thought to be Avalokitesvara and his consort Tara.
Kiri Vehera 34 km
A white stupa 800 metres north of the Kataragama Devalaya, probably dating to the 3rd century BC. It is counted among the Solosmasthana, the 16 most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites of ancient Sri Lanka, and pilgrims bring it flowers after visiting the shrines below.
Kataragama Devalaya 35 km
A temple complex once deep in the jungle, dedicated to the deity Kataragama, honoured by Hindus as the war god Murugan. It is one of the few sacred sites revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the Vedda people alike, with shrines and a mosque standing side by side.
Diyaluma Falls 35 km
The second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka, falling 220 metres from a cliff near Koslanda on the Colombo to Badulla road. The water is the Punagala Oya, and above the main drop it runs through a chain of natural rock pools where people swim.
Ella Rock 36 km
A mountain above the hill village of Ella, reached by a walk that follows the railway line and climbs through tea and eucalyptus. From the top the view opens over the Ella Gap and the lowlands far to the south.
Nine Arches Bridge 36 km
A railway viaduct of nine stone and brick arches spanning a jungle valley at Demodara, near Ella. Built in the colonial era and known as the Bridge in the Sky, it is busiest when the blue hill country trains cross between the tea slopes.
Ravana Falls 39 km
One of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka, tumbling down a rock face beside the road below Ella. It is named after Ravana, the king of the Ramayana, and local legend links the caves near it to the story of Sita.
More hidden gems in Uva
Questions
Where is Maligawila Buddha?
Maligawila Buddha is in Monaragala, Uva, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Yala National Park (26 km), Buduruvagala (31 km), Kiri Vehera (34 km).
How do I get the Maligawila Buddha stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Maligawila Buddha and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Uva volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Maligawila Buddha before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Uva 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.