Panduwasnuwara Raja Maha Viharaya

“Panduwasnuwara” was one of the capital cities of ancient Sri Lanka in the 12^th century. King Panduwasdev made this region as his kingdom. The king of the country also served as the protector of Buddhism in the country. As a result we find Panduwasnuwara Raja Maha Viharaya as one of the religious sites built within this kingdom.

This Raja Maha Viharaya is located approximately 27km away from Kurunegala. (In the North Western Province). For its historical value, this Viharaya has been declared as an archaeological site of the country (on 13 March 1970 ).

The main highlight of this Raja Maha Viharaya is known as “Chakkrawalaya” which is said to be built by the king Parakramabahu the Great. In Sinhala, the word “Chakkra” refers to a circle and “Walaya” refers to a pit. The “Chakkrawalaya” located at this site is a round shaped tower. It is situated inside a circular moat. The reason or the purpose of building this Chakkrawalaya remains doubtful.

In addition, this Viharaya site has several inscriptions that belong to several eras of kings namely, King Sena II, King Kashyapa IV and King Udaya II. Panduwasnuwara Museum is another venue that is located near this Raja Maha Viharaya complex.