Toluvila (25) 

The Toluvila monastery, by the railway station, consisted of more than hundred buildings. Unlike most of the outer monasteries, it was not completely moated, although water channels from the Nuwara wewa tank surrounded it from three sides. The image-house in the northern complex was a magnificent building with tiered steps leading up to the three image statues, which were found here. The standing figures and a seated Buddha, which is now in the Colombo museum, and is one of the greatest work of art in Sri Lankan sculpture.

A guardstone depicting a flower-vase at the entrance to the temple is particularly fine. Sadly very little is know of this large and obviously important monastery,  not even it’s name, but the Tholuvila Buddha is a worthy memorial of it’s past.