Sacred City of Kandy (1988)
Sri Lanka
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This sacred Buddhist site, popularly known as the city of
Senkadagalapura,
was the last capital of the Sinhala kings whose patronage enabled the Dinahala
culture to flourish for more than 2,500 years until the occupation of Sri Lanka
by the British in 1815. It is also the site of the Temple of the Tooth Relic
(the sacred tooth of the Buddha), which is a famous pilgrimage site.
Kandy is Sri Lanka's hill capital (488 metres above sea level), Capital of Central Province, and the most beautiful cultural city. The city was born in the 14th century and became the capital of the Kandyan Kingdom in the 16th century. Kandy was the capital of a Sinhalese kingdom from 1592 to 1815, when it became one of the last sections of the island to be annexed by the British as part of colonial Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). |
The Festival of the August Moon or the Kandy Esala Perahara held during the month of Esala (July/August) is a spectacular cultural pageant parading the streets for ten nights climaxing on the full-moon night. It is held in honour of the sacred Tooth Relic, with the participation of hundreds of Kandyan dancers and drummers in traditional costumes, Kandyan chiefs in their traditional attire, elephants whip crackers and torchbearers.
Sources and links:
Other World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka (on this site). Please refer to the UNESCO-listing, Sri Lanka section, for further information on the individual properties.
Revised 21 jul 2006 |
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