The Siri Gautama Sambuddharaja Maligawa (Grand Temple of The Gautama Buddha) is one of the most beautiful Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. This magnificent temple was completed in 2012 to honor the Gautama Buddha and to commemorate the 2600th anniversary of his enlightenment. The temple was built with the meritorious intentions and guidance of most venerable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero,the founder of the Mahamevnawa monastery. The statues, paintings, carvings and all other art works in the temple are original creations of highly skilled Sri Lankan artists, made exclusively for the Sambuddharaja Maligawa. As well, thousands of devotees connected to Mahamevnawa monasteries in Sri Lanka and abroad had extended their full financial and volunteer support. With the laying of the foundation stone, the construction work of the grand temple was started on 6th February 2011 and which was completed within one year and five months. On 2nd July 2012 the temple was offered to the Gautama Buddha during a grand opening ceremony and was made accessible to the public since then.

This is the main Buddha statue in the Sambuddharaja Maligawa. It contain the relics of Gautama Buddha, and is one of the most majestic Buddha Statues in Sri Lanka. The unparalleled beauty of the statue is such that no matter how long you gaze at the statue, you still want to look more. The statue represents that great moment when Gautama Buddha becomes enlightened defeating Mara, the evil one, along with his army while the Buddha was sitting at the Neranjara river under the Great Bodhi Tree in India. When you look at the statue you can see that the Buddha is looking at you with eyes full of great compassion and love.

You will find great statues of Enlightened One’s such as Arahant Sariputta, Arahant Maha Moggallana, Arahant Maha Kassapa, and Arahant Ananda.

Sculptures of the Birth of the Buddha, Ghateekaara Brahma, God Santhusitha, and God Sakka

This is the main entrance to Siri Gautama Sambuddharaja Maligawa. You are entering the temple via the stairs decorated with large lion statues. There are ten pillars of statues of Arahants around the stage. This main entrance consists of beautiful wood carvings. On top of it, there are statues of Kakusanda, Konāgama, Kassapa, and Gautama Supreme Buddhas. At the bottom there is a golden statue of a beautiful swan, which signifies the purity of the Dispensation of Gautama Supreme Buddha that brightened the divine and human worlds.