Ritigala Monastery

1 December 2021

Ritigala is a mountain in central Sri Lanka which is home to an ancient Buddhist monastery. It consists of four peaks which rise steeply from the surrounding plain. The ruins of Ritigala monastery are located on the eastern side of the mountain at the foot of the gorge which separates the main peak from the northern ridge of the range. The ruins cover an area of 24 hectares. The monastery precinct begins at the office of the on-site branch of Department of Archeology of Sri Lanka close to the foot of the reservoir.

At 766 m (2,513 ft) above sea level, and 600 m above the surrounding plains, Ritigala is the highest mountain in northern Sri Lanka. Ritigala reserve is in the Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests ecoregion, and is home to five plant communities. One of the legends binding Ritigala is the belief of powerful medicinal herbs found near the crest. It is believed to have the power of conferring long life and curing all human pain. It is an interesting, educational hike that is feasible for most.