The beautiful Sambodhi Chaitya which is located in the Colombo Harbour is a truly impressive sight to behold. It glistens charmingly against the brilliant blue skies, seemingly observing the frivolities of the city life serenely. When you are travelling in Colombo with Green Holiday Centre, be sure to visit this beautiful temple and you will be enthralled by its exquisite loveliness.
History
The Sambodhi Chaitya was designed by A. N. S. Kulasinghe, a veteran Sri Lankan architect. The stupa is built using reinforced concrete. The construction of the stupa commenced in 1956 to commemorate the Sambuddhatva Jayanti. The project was initiated by Colombo Port Commission and it was completed by Colombo Port Authority. As the stupa stands on an elevated platform, it is quite easy to spot as you travel in the area. In fact it is said that even sailors navigating through stormy seas can spot this stupa as they approach the Colombo Harbour!
The platform upon which the stupa is perched has two interlocking arches. The arches of the platform are 33 metres in height. The stupa has a bell shape and so it is quite different to the majority of the dome-shaped ones in the city. The height of this beautiful white stupa, including its jewelled pinnacle is 47 metres.
You will find this unique shrine at the entrance to the Colombo Harbour, above the Marine Drive. The road that leads to the Colombo Harbour has also been named Chaitya Road, because of this majestic stupa. The area surrounding the temple is breathtaking too, complete with ponds, lush greenery and charming bridges. Entrance to the temple is free and it remains open from early morning hours to 6:00 p.m. You can reach the stupa by ascending a flight of stairs with 258 steps. Once you reach the top, you will be swept away by the breathtaking views of the cityscape and oceans!
