Pothgul Viharaya

Distance from Ratnapura - 12 km (7.5 miles)

Dating back to the 1st century B.C this temple built by King Valagamba has cave paintings and a statue of the Reclining Buddha. An interesting sculpture of a devil with his mouth open and a figure ready to jump in is a representation of the Buddha sacrificing himself in one of his 550 lives. The temple can be reached by an ascent over 450 steps.