Yapahuwa Rock Fortress
A medieval citadel built around a granite rock that rises almost 100 metres from the plains, midway between Kurunegala and Anuradhapura, and for a short time a royal capital. A steep ornamental stairway guarded by carved stone lions climbs towards the top.
- Where
- Maho, North Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 7.8167, 80.3167
Get the Yapahuwa Rock Fortress stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Yapahuwa Rock Fortress. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your North Western Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Yapahuwa Rock Fortress
Avukana Buddha 32 km
A standing Buddha more than 14 metres tall near Kekirawa, one hand raised in a gesture of reassurance. It is counted among the finest standing statues made in ancient Sri Lanka.
Panduwasnuwara 33 km
The ruins of an ancient capital in Kurunegala District, said to have been Parakramapura, the seat of Parakramabahu in the 12th century. Its remains lie at Kotampitiya, about 3 km from Hettipola on the road from Wariyapola to Chilaw.
Ridi Viharaya 35 km
A temple from the 2nd century BCE at Ridigama, called the Silver Temple because silver ore found here paid for the completion of the Ruwanweli stupa. According to the Mahavamsa, King Dutugemunu built it in gratitude.
Dambulla Cave Temple 37 km
A cave temple high on a rock above Dambulla, a World Heritage Site since 1991. Its five caves are filled with Buddha statues and their ceilings are painted edge to edge with murals, a shrine that has been in use for more than two thousand years.
Nalanda Gedige 40 km
A complete stone temple near Matale, built between the 8th and 10th centuries in a Dravidian style more often seen in South India. Its original site is said to be the geographical centre of Sri Lanka, and an inscription found there shows it served as a Buddhist monastery.
Aluvihare Rock Temple 49 km
A cave temple among boulders 30 km north of Kandy on the Matale road, traced back to King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC. It is where monks are said to have first written down the Buddhist Pali Canon, on palm leaves, in the 1st century BC.
Ritigala 50 km
A forested mountain in central Sri Lanka, 43 km from Anuradhapura, that hides the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery. Its rock inscriptions date back to the 1st century BCE, and stone paths and platforms lie scattered under the trees.
Sri Muthumariamman Temple 51 km
A Hindu temple in Matale dedicated to the goddess Mariamman. Its tall gopuram gateway is covered in rows of brightly painted figures of gods and guardians, and it is one of the best known Hindu temples in the central hills.
More hidden gems in North Western Province
Questions
Where is Yapahuwa Rock Fortress?
Yapahuwa Rock Fortress is in Maho, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Avukana Buddha (32 km), Panduwasnuwara (33 km), Ridi Viharaya (35 km).
How do I get the Yapahuwa Rock Fortress stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Yapahuwa Rock Fortress and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your North Western Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Yapahuwa Rock Fortress before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your North Western Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.