Sri Lanka: A dragon, detail of a carved wooden pillar in the Embekke Temple, Kandy

Embekka Devalaya (Embekke Temple) was built by King Vikramabahu III (r. 1357 - 1374). The main attraction here is the superbly maintained carvings on the columns in the Drummers' Hall. The finest of the 500 or so figures are the dancer, a double-headed eagle, the swans and the soldiers.

Kandy is Sri Lanka's second biggest city with a population of around 170,000 and is the cultural centre of the whole island. For about two centuries (until 1815) it was the capital of Sri Lanka.

Copyright:

CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

David Henley

Credit:

Pictures From Asia