Naula Ambalama (Photo credit: Google Street View)
Naula Ambalama (Sinhala: නාඋල අම්බලම) is an old wayside rest situated in Naula town in Matale District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Dambulla-Matale road near Naula junction.
Ambalama
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.
Although some locals link the history of this Ambalama to the reign of King Devanampiyatissa (247-210 B.C.), the origin of this structure is obscure. It is said that Naula Sri Naga National School was established in the 1880s centring this Ambalama.
The structure
The Naula Ambalama is roughly a square-shaped structure. The roof is covered with semi-cylindrical clay tiles (Sinhala-Ulu) and is held by ten square pillars. Connecting these pillars, a short wall runs around the structure leaving two gates at the front and back of the building.
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Location Map (Google)
This page was last updated on 11 June 2023
