Gangaramaya Temple

Though it's in the heart of the city, one of Colombo’s most important places of worship for Buddhists will envelop you in a serene calm as soon as you cross its threshold. A series of tranquil shrines and rooms cluster in a slightly haphazard fashion around a main courtyard with a central, dome-shaped stupa. There are elaborate carvings and brightly colored statues as well as a resident temple elephant. The adjoining museum displays gifts and offerings that range from the mundane to the bizarre.