Gangaramaya Temple Colombo

Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka

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Gangaramaya Temple is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Colombo, situated on the edge of Beira Lake in the city’s Western Province.

Originally founded as a small hermitage in the late 19th century and expanded over time, it now functions not only as a place of worship but also as a centre of learning, culture, and Buddhist welfare activities. The complex blends Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architectural styles, with a main shrine building, a pagoda, a Bodhi tree, an assembly hall for monks called Seema Malaka, and a richly decorated Relic Chamber.

Seema Malaka, designed by renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa with support from a Muslim patron, sits on the lake and reflects the temple’s spirit of interfaith harmony. Gangaramaya is especially famous for its treasure‑trove museum, holding many Buddha statues in different postures, relics, manuscripts, carvings, and unusual offerings such as old cars and ornaments, and it also hosts the annual Navam Maha Perahera, a major religious and cultural procession in Colombo.