Unawatuna Peace Pagoda – Unawatuna, Sri Lanka - Atlas Obscura

Unawatuna Peace Pagoda

Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

This peaceful, round shrine in the middle of the Sri Lankan jungle acts as a beacon of peace. 

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Looking across the water from Galle Fort in Sri Lanka, this Buddhist shrine resembles a giant marshmallow rising out of the rainforest.

Built with the help of Japanese monks, the peace pagoda on Rumasalla Hill is one of three Buddhist stupas in Sri Lanka. Stupas are monuments that serve as beacons of peace for people of all nationalities and creeds, and the clean, rounded design of the Unawatuna pagoda exemplifies this. Visitors can walk or drive the shaded path to the Peace Pagoda and they will be rewarded with a towering, white bell-like structure surrounded by gold-painted statues. Sets of steps also lead to a walkway encircling the shrine which offers a 360-degree view of the jungle and bay. 

Know Before You Go

On the headland between Galle and Unawatuna, a 2 km walk (or bumpy drive) from the beach.

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