Mulkirigala Raja maha viharaya can be reached from Dickwella or Tangalle towns. Among the ancient rock temples known in Sri Lanka; The Mulkirigala Raja Maha Viharaya (Mulkirigala Maha Royal Temple) is unique to Sigiriya in terms of architecture and style. While not as famous as the Lion Rock; This temple is even older. Today the temple has been recognized by the government as an archaeological site and is impressed with the architecture, paintings and sculptures. The temple is tucked into a giant rock 205 meters (673 ft) high. It is surrounded by four other rocks: Benagala, Kondagala, Bisogala and Silawathigala. This place is known as the punchi Sigiriya or Little Sigiriya.
The Mahavamsa mentions AD. It is said that in the 3rd century King Sadatissa built the Mulkirigala Devalaya. The temple continued to receive royal patronage and was renovated by many of the kings. During the Dutch period, the rock of Mulkirigala became known as Adam’s Borg. The Dutch believed that the tomb of Adam and Eve was here. Mulkirigala The ancient religious chronicle, the Bodhi Vamsa, has been identified as the Devalaya known as the Giriba Temple. It is also known as Mulgirigala, Muwathitigala, Kudangiri and Dakkhina Vihara in the present world.
The site consists of seven small temples and is built in five areas. Siyambalamaluwa, lower temple compound, Bomaluwa, royal temple compound and upper temple compound. There are caves with images and murals in them.
The Siyambalamaluwa area consists of a museum, a lower temple and a rest room.
This includes the lower temple complex, the royal temple, the tomb, the Seemalamakaya, the monastery and the Paduma Rahath Kovil. The Paduma Rata Temple has the largest Buletha image of the entire temple. There is a small painted pagoda in the cave and a modern information center on the terrace.
Bomaluwa is an area consisting of the Vesak Hall Complex, the Majjima Nikaya Cave (Bhanaka Cave), the Viharagal rock inscription (between 1400 and 1500 years old), and the Bomalua (Bo Tree Terrace).
Composition of the Great Royal Temple This includes the Manchachara, the Royal Temple, the New Temple, the Naga Temple, the Pokuna, the Rock Inscription (12th century), the lamp post and the Diyagoda Ootha Temple. The stone inscription found in this compound reveals the ancient name of the temple as the Mungungiri temple.
Upper Temple compound The Dethyspala Bo Tree, the Subordinate Bo Tree, the Garandi Chopolla, the Stupa, the bell tower, the pond and the horizon are all found in the upper temple compound. The Dethyspala Bo tree is believed to be the root of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Tree.
A large collection of murals and sculptures belonging to the Kandyan era can be seen in the caves and there are image houses in the temple premises. Most of the paintings depict the stories of Gautama Buddha and Jataka, such as Vesanthara, Thelapatta and Shiva. Mulkirigala Maha Royal Palace is one of the important attractions
