The holy city of Kandy in Sri Lanka

The holy city of Kandy in Sri Lanka is one of the places you want to visit when travelling around the country. Kandy is a slightly noisy, but also deeply sacred city for Buddhists. Here you can see, among other things, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, the temple with the Buddha's tooth.

Kandy in Sri Lanka

Kandy is located in the centre of Sri Lanka and had around 125,000 inhabitants in 2011. The city was founded in the 14th century and became the capital of the Kingdom of Kandy in 1592, at a time when European colonial powers created unrest in the coastal areas, and many residents fled inland.

Despite being captured several times, the city managed to maintain its independence until 14 February 1815, when Sri Lanka finally fell to the British. After this, Kandy continued to be a religious centre and sacred city for millions of Buddhists. In 1988, the city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We had read in many places that Kandy would be an incredibly beautiful city, and were therefore perhaps a little surprised when we met a city that initially felt noisy and hectic. Nevertheless, this city has a lot to offer!

Temple of the Tooth - Temple of the Tooth

The Temple of the Tooth, or Sri Dalada Maligawa as it is actually called, contains a relic of one of the Buddha's teeth. The tooth came to Kandy in Sri Lanka from India during the reign of Sri Meghavanna (319 - 328). The temple, and the sacred tooth, is now a famous pilgrimage destination throughout the Buddhist world.

To visit the sacred temple you have to pay about 75 crowns. You have to take off your shoes, which can be left in a shoe depository just outside. To enter, you must also make sure you are dressed to cover your shoulders and knees/legs.

Inside the temple you will see many Buddhists sitting and praying. Outside, you can light candles and incense, just like we did in the city centre. Anuradhapura.

The royal palace of Kandy, the Mahawasala or Royal Palace, is located north of the Temple of the Tooth, in the same area. Behind the temple is also a Buddhist museum. We never went in here, but it is possible to visit the museum with the same entrance ticket.

Shopping at the bazaar

After visiting the temple, we went on to the bazaar, where they sell clothes and fabrics. Both me (Helena) and Beata took the opportunity to shop for long thin trousers. Perfect in this heat, and also good when visiting temples! The men were not quite as amused by the shopping ...

Fruit on the market

Across the street from the bazaar is the Kandy market. Here you can buy things like fruit, spices, ayurvedic products (at much lower prices than in Kandy). the spice gardens), leather bags and more. For our part, there was some fruit!

Good lunch at a Chinese restaurant

We had lunch at a small Chinese restaurant called Sam's Chinese Restaurant, which is located at Kotugodella Veediya 6. We ordered five different dishes and rice and everything was served in the Chinese way in the middle, so everyone could taste everything. Very good and nice!

Rooftop bar with a view

We also went up to the rooftop bar at the Casamara Hotel, which is next to Sam's Chinese restaurant. Here we had a really nice view of the city!

Hotels in Kandy

Our second night in Kandy, Sri Lanka, we stayed at the Blue Haven Guesthouse. This is a simple place without luxury, but still very nice. The large terrace is completely surrounded by large trees where we saw both kingfishers and squirrels. There is also a pool and good service. Very affordable! The price? It was about 150 kronor per double room.

See more in Kandy

If you want to see more of Kandy in Sri Lanka, you can also visit the famous Peredeniya Botanical Gardens. The garden is located 5.5 kilometres west of the city and was established around 1750. The park covers 59 hectares and contains over 4000 different species of plants.

The city is also known for cultural shows, where you can experience traditional dance. Also popular is the train journey that is sometimes referred to as the most beautiful train journey in the world, the train journey to Ella.

See more in Sri Lanka

If you are travelling around Sri Lanka, there is a lot to see and discover. Here are some examples of interesting places to visit, without having to travel too far in the country:

• Dambulla is a small town, famous for its golden cave temple.
• Ella is a charming town, where you can take a beautiful train journey.
• Negombo is a good stop just before or after a flight.

Facts about Kandy

• Country: Sri Lanka
• Provins: Central Province (also comprising Matale and Nuwara Eliya)
• District: Kandy
• Location: The city is about 12 miles from the capital Colombo. The city is located at an altitude of about 500 metres, around the artificial Kandy Lake, which was constructed by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe between 1803 and 1807.
• Population: 125,000 (2011) In some places you can read that Kandy is Sri Lanka's second largest city, but it seems more likely that it ranks about 6th in size.
• Unesco heritage: The city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

History of Kandy

• 14th century: The city of Kandy was founded.
• 1592: Kandy became the capital of the kingdom of Kandy, and the king of the kingdom was Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591-1604).
• 1500-1800s: These were troubled times on the island and many fled from the coastal areas, which were colonised by European powers, to the mountainous interior. Kandy was captured many times, but still managed to maintain Sinhalese independence for a long time. Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1798-1815) became the last king of the kingdom.
• 1815: Kandy fell to the British on 14 February 1815. Although the city lost its political power, it continued to be the religious centre of Buddhism and a holy city for millions of Buddhists.

Travelling to Kandy

• Car from Colombo: Driving from Colombo to Kandy takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes (116 kilometres).
• Car from Dambulla: From Dambulla it takes about 2 hours by car (74 kilometres).
• Train or bus: It is also possible to travel by train or bus. Among other things, a recognised beautiful train journey between Ella and Kandy.