Royal Palace of Kandy – Relive the Royalty in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka is a place of rich history and heritage. Its history dates back to ancient times and there are many monuments and heritage sites that support the claim. Also, The country is full of various eye-catching tourist spots and attracts thousands of travellers every year. Temple of Tooth in Kandy, Polonnaruwa Vatadage, Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Dambulla cave temple are some of the major historic sites in Sri Lanka. One another significant historic monument is the Royal Palace of Kandy. The palace is located in the Raja Veediya region of Kandy. This historic masterpiece was the residential palace for the Royal Sri Lankan Monarchy of the Kingdom of Kandy. Read on to know more about the Royal Palace of Kandy in Sri Lanka.
About Royal Palace of Kandy
This magnificent residential palace of the Sri Lankan Monarch of Kandy is a spectacular and picturesque architectural marvel. It is located in a prime location with Temple of the Tooth being in the close vicinity. Tucked between the valleys with lush greenery, the Royal Palace of Kandy is a spectacular treat to the eyes. There are many attractions as part of the palace like the King’s headquarters, Queen’s palace, King’s palace, and Royal audience hall which attracts history buffs like a magnet. The Palace was turned into the National Museum of Kandy in 1942. You can visit the Palace to see the artefacts dating back to the British and the Kandyan Kingdom.
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How to Reach Royal Palace of Kandy
There is a lot of public transport being operated between the Royal Palace of Kandy and the Kandy Airport. You can either choose to drive yourself on a bus or hire a cab with the latter being a more expensive option. There are also several Tuk-tuks available which you can use to reach the Palace. The Palace is just 5 km away from Kandy Airport and can be reached in 15-20 minutes. The way to the Palace is filled with picturesque landscapes which make the journey enjoyable. If you are travelling from Colombo, the drive will be 105 km long spanning across 3-3.5 hours.
Address – 15 Raja Veediya, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
Entry Cost – There is no entry fee for children but the adults will have to pay 1000 Rupees per adult. You will have to pay 300 Rupees per unit.
What’s Special About The Royal Palace of Kandy?
The Royal Palace of Kandy is admired by thousands of traveller annually for its impeccable architecture. Right from Start to End, The Palace is nothing but an architectural wonder. As you reach the Palace, you can view the humongous three different gateways. These gateways have the name – Wahalkadas. As you get past the Wahalkadas, you will reach the King’s Palace and it will awe you with its majesty. You can feel the royalty vibe as you stroll across the courtyard and veranda. The insides of the Palace are decorated with prolific artworks which represent the art forms of Sri Lankan terracotta and Stucco.
You can also find the Kandyan Architectural Style in the Royal Audience Hall. The space is full of wooden pillars and roof works of the Kandyan trademark. The part of the Palace where the actual museum exists is the Lower Palace. The lower palace has an aesthetic courtyard and gigantic doors. These are the major attractions in the Palace but the place also has much more to offer. However, You can experience those details only if you visit there in person.
Things to do at the Royal Palace of Kandy
The Royal Palace of Kandy is not only about aesthetics and architecture. There is more of which you can experience in the Royal Palace of Kandy.
You can reach the Temple of Tooth which is present adjacent and witness the monks offering prayers. They follow a prayer pattern which is generally thrice per day. The prayer takes place in the innermost chamber of the Temple of Tooth. The name of the temple comes from the fact that they possess the tooth that Buddha lost.
The Palace is home to one of the most intriguing museums in the country. They have a large collection of artefacts ranging from ancient pots to royal possessions of Kings & Queens. They also have different types of artefacts like wood carvings, woodworks, artforms and much more. These artefacts date back centuries right from the Kandyan dynasty.
The Royal Palace of Kandy also maintains a park which is a place of solitude. It also provides a beautiful view of Kandy Lake which you can enjoy from a curtain. However, The entry into the park is chargeable and it costs 100 Lankan Rupees.
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Best Places to visit near the Royal Palace of Kandy
If you are interested to explore more of the city of Kandy in addition to the Royal Palace of Kandy, Here are the places that you might consider.
Commonwealth War Cemetery
The Commonwealth War Cemetry is present near the Royal Place of Kandy. It is a well-maintained cemetery in memory of all the war heroes who left their lives for the country. Popularly known as Pitakande Military Cemetery, there are more than 190 tombs in total. The cemetery is present at the Deveni Rajasinghe region and it is open between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.
Ceylon Tea Museum
The four-storey museum is a magnificent tea museum with a library, technical auditorium and old machinery. There is also a restaurant on the topmost floor where you can have an amazing view of the landscapes as you sip a cup of hot tea. Located in Hantane Road, the museum is open between Tuesday and Saturday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Kandy View Point
The Kandy View Point is close to Kandy lake and is situated at top of the Rajapihilla Mawatha. You can have a picturesque view of the landscapes of Kandy. The beautiful presence of mountains and valleys is complimented by the greeneries present around.
You should definitely visit the Royal Palace of Kandy if you have come this far. It is definitely one of the best places in Sri Lanka the travellers must visit. Plan your very own trip to Sri Lanka by choosing any one of our Sri Lanka travel packages at Pickyourtrail. You can also customise your very own itinerary with the Royal Palace of Kandy.
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