At the corner of Lotus Road and York Street in Colombo Fort there is a huge white Buddhist bell shaped dagoba (chedi). They are so iconic of Sri Lanka. There is a small monastery attached to the complex.

Sri Sambuddhaloka Vlhara Buddhist Temple Buddha statue

The peace and quiet that you normally associate with this type of temple unfortunately is compromised because of its location on the corner of a major road junction. The exterior boundary wall helps keep some of the city hustle and bustle out.

The Sri Sambuddhaloka Vlhara Buddhist Temple is very near the Colombo Hilton Hotel. Go into the hotel first. Have a refreshing cup of tea or coffee with cake in the water garden facing air conditioned tea room. That will get you in the right mood for visiting the temple.

On the outside wall of the Monastery building is a medium sized gold statue of a sitting Buddha. I have found that the monks that speak English are only too pleased to talk about their religion and way of life. Start a conversation. Ask about the significance of the bell shaped dagobas and why Sri Lanka is important to the Buddhist religion.

Dagoba bell shaped temple of the Sri Sambuddhaloka Vlhara Buddhist Temple

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