Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai , Trincomalee
About Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai
Girihadu Seya which translates as ‘ stupa on the top of the rocks' holds the honour of being the oldest Buddhist temple and the first Stupa built not only in the country but also in the whole world. The temple is set upon a stage like location covered by the carpet of greenery. One has to climb 300 steps to reach the top. The ancient temple was ruined by the LTTE group but the main stupa remains unharmed in all its glory. The temple lays close to the Trincomalee-Pulmudai road and to the Thiriyai village.
The temple has tread the timeline of 2500 years. It was built by the merchant brothers, Thapassue and Balluka 75 days after Lord Buddha gained Enlightenment. Legend has it that the brothers offered alms to Buddha and on their request, Buddha blessed them with a lock of hair which was kept in a bowl on a mountain named Girikanda but was later struck to it. To enshrine this relic, a stupa was built over it. Today you will find statues of Buddha and a Bo tree.
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Places to Visit near Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai
Arisimale Beach, Eastern Province
11.2 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Arisimale Beach lies on an isolated location which is actually about 50 kms North of Trincomalee in the town of Pulmude. In Tamil arisi means rice...
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Nilaveli Beach, Eastern Province
33.9 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Away from the bustling areas, 16 kilometres from the city of Trincomalee, lays the long stretch of Nilaveli beach in the town of Nilaveli. The...
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Pigeon Island National Park, Eastern Province
34.9 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Pigeon Rock Island – one of the two marine national parks of Sri Lanka is located just off the coast of Nilaveli in the eastern region of the...
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Trincomalee War Cemetery, Eastern Province
43.2 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
The War Cemetry is located 6 kms north from the town of Trincomalee also along Trincomalee- Pulmoddi road on the way to Nilavel. It was mainly...
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Kanniya Hot Springs, Eastern Province
45.6 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Also known as Kanniya Hot Wells, it is the perfect instance of a wonder of the nature. It is situated just at a distance of 1km from Anuradhapura...
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Fort Frederick, Trincomalee, Eastern Province
49.3 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Fort Frederick has been an important defensive site for centuries in Sri Lanka. The Bristish took over the fort in the year 1782. It was built by...
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Koneswaram Temple, Eastern Province
50.2 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Koneswaram temple is located in Trincomalee in the eastern province of Sri Lanka and was built when the Cholas ruled over the country and is...
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Manayaweli Cove, Eastern Province
51.1 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Manayaweli Cove is a beach in Sri lanka which can be easily reached by passing through the Dhoby Tank where the local washing people wash their...
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Hoods Tower Museum, Eastern Province
57 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Hoods Tower Museum is a naval museum located at Fort Ostenburg in the Trincomalee peninsula derived its name from the Hoods tower which is an...
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Mullaitivu National Park, Northern Province
75.8 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Once a home ground for bloody battles, the Mullaitivu National Park was newly converted to a wildlife sanctuary in 2009. The park houses thousands...
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Wasgamuwa National Park, North Central Province
*77.4 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Wasgamuwa National Park is a peaceful inland nature reserve, where one is assured to spot large herds of elephants and buffalos. Unlike other...
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Isinbassagala, North Central Province
89.8 km from Girihadu Seya, Thiriyai - See map
Isin Bassa Gala or Isinbassagala is an unknown place to the tourists but this off beat place can be as surprising as any other famous tourist...
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