Cultural
Ville sacrée de Kandy
Sri Lanka
Photo : Pierre André Leclercq (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, this sacred city served as the last capital of the Sinhalese kingdom and remains the spiritual center of Buddhism on the island. The site's primary significance lies in its role as the repository of the Buddha's Tooth Relic, housed in the Temple of the Tooth, which has made it a major pilgrimage destination for centuries. The city's urban layout reflects a distinctive blend of religious and administrative functions, with the temple complex positioned prominently within the royal palace grounds beside a scenic artificial lake. The architectural ensemble demonstrates Sri Lankan medieval construction techniques and represents an important example of Buddhist urban planning, with structures combining local materials and design traditions with influences from successive periods of occupation. The inscription recognizes the city's outstanding universal value as a testimony to the continuity of Buddhist religious and cultural traditions in South Asia, as well as its architectural and urban heritage.
