Kotte - The Perakumba Pirivena

This historic temple at the entrance to Atul Kotte has taken care to preserves parts of the ruins found within its premises. The lane leading to the temple could be found immediately to your left, on turning in to the Kotte Road. The remains are found at the bottom of the temple premises.

Traces of the ramparts and moat are visible within the premises of this Pirivena. As shown above in the photograph, the ramparts ends with the temple wall, the rest destroyed by the people to build a houses or shops.

Also preserved is a well dating back to the Kotte period. This is now enclosed with a protective wall. The well is lined with clay rings and has a decorative ring at the top. A similar well dug out by contactors who were building an extension at the Kotte Telecommunications Center has been handed over to the Kotte Archeological Museum and is now displayed there.

The north entrance to the fortified city was also sited close to the Pirivena. The northern entrance facing Konthaganthota was a busy place. It was used to ferry in all the supplies thru the Konthagan Thotupala from the Kelani River. The entrance has been located in close proximity to the present day bridge that crosses over the Diyawanna Oya, just after you turn into the Kotte road and the Perakumba Pirivena.

The pictures below show the well as it is today, enclosed by a protective wall, and a close up of the well. (Note the clay ring found at the mouth of the well.)

Additional Photographs :

(a) Remains of the Ramparts at Perakumaba Pirivena.
(b) Recently excavated remains of a similar well dating back to the Kotte period.