AT A GLANCE

Why go?

Jayasekhararamaya Temple — known locally as Kuppiyawatta Jayasekararamaya — is a 19th-century Buddhist monastery in the Kuppiyawatta neighborhood of central Colombo, and a formally protected archaeological monument. Its image house, monks' dwelling, and devalaya shrine date to the latter half of the 1800s, making it one of the older surviving temple complexes in the city.↗↗

The temple belongs to the lineage of institutions that emerged during the Buddhist revival in colonial-era Colombo. It is classified as a Raja Maha Viharaya (a royal temple with historical state patronage), and its three core buildings were gazetted as protected monuments in 1999.↗↗

Open from 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day, Jayasekhararamaya is both a living place of worship and a cultural site. Visitors can observe daily rituals, see colonial-era temple architecture, and experience an active community temple that hosts Dhamma school programs and seasonal sermons.↗