Rathmale Ambalama is an old wayside rest in the village of Rathmale in Matara. It is considered the only two-storied Ambalama building in the country.
Rathmale Ambalama (Matara) R athmale Ambalama (Sinhala: රත්මලේ අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest in the village of Rathmale in Matara District, Sri Lanka. The remains of Nelumwewa Ambalama , another old wayside rest is located about 900 m east of this Ambalama. Rathmale Ambalama is considered the only two-storied Ambalama building in the country. History Ambalamas are traditional resting places built by locals to accommodate wayfarers who were travelling to distant places. They were also used as a place for people to gather, hold meetings and serve as a public place
in society. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Ambalamas were spread all over the country. The Ambalama in Rathmale is believed to have been constructed in 1908 as the date found inscribed on a stone plate fixed in the ground floor of the building (Wikramaratne, 2015). The Structure This Ambalama is a two storey structure and the upper floor is made of wood. A wooden staircase is said to be there to reach the deck in the past (Wikramaratne, 2015). T…
