Tenavaram temple, Matara

Name: Tenavaram temple
Address: Matara, Sri Lanka

#7 among attractions in Matara

Temple

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Facts and practical information

Tenavaram temple was a historic Hindu temple complex situated in the port town Tenavaram, Tevanthurai, Matara) near Galle, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its primary deity was a Hindu god Tenavarai Nayanar and at its zenith was one of the most celebrated Hindu temple complexes of the island, containing eight major kovil shrines to a thousand deity statues of stone and bronze and two major shrines to Vishnu and Shiva. Administration and maintenance was conducted by residing Hindu Tamil merchants during Tenavaram's time as a popular pilgrimage destination and famed emporium employing over five hundred devadasis. ()

Coordinates: 5°55'38"N, 80°35'19"E

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Matara Sri Lanka

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Day trips

Tenavaram temple – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Dondra Head Lighthouse, Shrine of Our Lady of Matara, Matara Bodhiya, Matara fort.

0.6 miSE
Lighthouse, Vernacular architecture
Dondra Head Lighthouse, Matara
15 min walk • Dondra Head Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on Dondra Head, Dondra, the southernmost point in Sri Lanka and is Sri Lanka's tallest lighthouse, and also one of the tallest in South East Asia.
2.8 miNW
Sacred and religious sites
Shrine of Our Lady of Matara, Matara
71 min walk • Shrine of Our Lady of Matara is a Roman Catholic church devoted to the Virgin Mary, in the town of Matara, Sri Lanka. The shrine houses a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. Though the statue's origins are unknown, church officials claim that it is 400 years old.
3.2 miNW
Temple, Buddhist architecture
Matara Bodhiya, Matara
82 min walk • Matara Bodhiya is a sacred fig tree in Matara, Sri Lanka. Its origin can be traced back to a tragic story centred on King Kumara Dharmasena or Kumaradhatusena son of King Kasyapa of Sigiriya and his closet friend, Kalidasa, a famous dramatist and poet.
3.1 miNW
Forts and castles
Matara fort, Matara
80 min walk • The Matara Fort was built in 1560 by the Portuguese and was substantially re-built by the Dutch in 1640, following the capture of Galle. The fort, which consists of a large stone rampart, occupies the promontory, which separates the Niwala Ganga lagoon and the ocean.
3.1 miNW
Church
Dutch Reformed Church, Matara
80 min walk • The Dutch Reformed Church is located within the Matara fort in Matara and is situated near the entrance to the fort. The church was built by the Dutch in 1706 and is a smaller version of the church in Galle fort.
3.1 miNW
Forts and castles
Star fort, Matara
80 min walk • The Star Fort is a fort in Matara, Sri Lanka, located on the eastern bank of the Nilwala River, approximately 350 metres from the gate to the Matara fort. It was constructed by the Dutch in 1765, and was originally called Redoute Van Eck.
3.9 miW
Memorial
Old Nupe Market, Matara
101 min walk • The Old Nupe Market or the Old Dutch Market is a historic, European-built structure in Matara, Sri Lanka. It is located about 3.2 kilometres from Matara fort, at the junction of the Matara-Akuressa Highway and Matara Road.
4.3 miW
5°56'10"N • 80°31'34"E
Polhena, Matara
111 min walk • Beach