Kadugannawa Ambalama — Attraction in Sabaragamuwa Province

Renovated and conserved by the Department of Archeology, this Ambalama (Resting Place) is a historical landmark of the Colombo-Kandy highway.

Ambalama was used in ancient times where the main mode of transport was by foot. The commuters travelling long distances used to stopover for meals, snacks, resting, during bad weather and specially overnight.

This Ambalama was used by thousands of commuters travelling between the Kingdom of Kandy and Colombo commercial hub, specially during the colonial era.

It is worth to stop for 15 minutes to observe the remains of an ancient transport tradition in Ceylon and understand the drastic development in transport with the invention of wheels, fossil fuels and engineering.

For authorities - not enough parking, packs details of the place, should be open and allowed access inside, you can even open a little restaurant with authentic local food and tea. Another missed opportunity to promote tourism...

It's really sad to notice how the historical places are treated in Sri Lanka. This famous place was hit by a lorry recently and has not paid any attention after that to rectify the place. This is a masonry structure with a very old timber roof. The roof structure shows the creativity of the carpenters, who lived about 200-300 years before. Kandy era is very famous for timber work and this is too a place of remarkable timber detailing.

These umbalams are built for a short stay for the people who used the nearby road and who traveled long distance. So, these were built with special attention to the need. However, this space was divided in the two sections ( rooms) and that itself is something to...

When travelling towards Kandy on the Colombo – Kandy main road running from Colombo to Kandy, this Ambalama can be seen on the left side of the famous Kudukannawa Hill. Ambalam is a place used in the past as a place to rest and spend the night when having long journey. The building dates back to the Kandyan era and is about 200 years old. This building has an archaeological value and it  has been renovated by the Ministry of Tourism according to the supervision and technical instructions of the Department of Archeology. Kadugannawa Ambalama which is considered as a National Heritage...