Hidden Statues & Monuments

This collection highlights lesser-known commemorative structures and religious landmarks across Sri Lanka’s central hills. It features colonial-era tributes, such as the ruins of James Taylor's home and the Captain Dawson Tower, alongside modern spiritual icons like the Moragahakanda Buddha. These sites document the island's transition from a plantation economy to independence, offering insight into the figures and engineering feats that shaped the region’s infrastructure and cultural identity.

Ruins of James Taylor's Bungalow

Stone ruins of the 19th-century residence of James Taylor, the Scotsman who established the first commercial tea plantation in Ceylon at Loolecondera.

captain Dowsan tower

A white pillar erected in 1832 to honor Captain William Francis Dawson, the British engineer responsible for constructing the Colombo-Kandy road.

Sima Malakaya

A consecrated assembly hall for Buddhist monks, used for the recitation of the Patimokkha and other ecclesiastical rites.

Thwaites monument

A memorial dedicated to botanist George Henry Kendrick Thwaites, who served as the superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, for over 30 years.

Zero Mile Post

A historical marker used as the central reference point for measuring road distances across the island during the British colonial period.

Moragahakanda Buddha Statue

A large, modern seated Buddha statue overlooking the Moragahakanda Reservoir, commissioned as part of the Mahaweli water development project.

Bandaranayake Statue

A commemorative statue of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the fourth Prime Minister of Ceylon, located in the vicinity of Dambulla.