Kande Vihara is an important Buddhist temple in Bentota. The temple got its name “Kande Vihara” (Mountain Temple) as it was built on a hill. It has been officially recognized as an archaeological site by the government.
The temple includes the stupa, the Bodhi tree, the relic chamber, the image house and other pagodas.
In 2002, the foundation stone for a huge Samadhi Buddha statue was laid on the temple premises. The completed statue was opened to the public in 2007, making the temple increasingly popular among local believers. The statue is 48.8 m high and is considered one of the tallest seated Buddha statues in the world.
Unfortunately, during today's visit, the statue was encased in scaffolding and is apparently being restored.