Maduwanwela Walawwa
| Maduwanwela Walawwa | |
|---|---|
මඩුවන්වෙල වලව්ව | |
Interactive map of Maduwanwela Walawwa | |
| Alternative names | Maduwanwela Mansion |
| General information | |
| Type | Walawwa |
| Location | Maduwanwela, Kolonna, Sri Lanka |
| Coordinates | 06°23′21.0″N 80°42′12.5″E / 6.389167°N 80.703472°E |
| Completed | 1725 |
| Owner | Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka) |
| Designations | Archaeological protected monument (20 September 1974)[1] |
Maduwanwela Walawwa is a walawwa located in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. The Walawwa is in the town of Maduwanwela, which lies between Embilipitiya and Rakwana, approximately 207 km (129 mi) from Colombo.
History
Maduwanwela Walawwa dates back to the reign of King Vimaladharmasuriya II (1687-1707 AD).[2] It was built by Maduwanwela Maha Mohottala in the 1700s and was expanded numerous times by the Maduwanwela family until 1905 when the final expansion was undertaken by Maduwanwela Maha Disawe.
Building
Between 1877 and 1905, Maduwanwela Walawwa had 121 rooms, 21 inner courtyards (Meda Midula)[2] and encompassed 32,000 hectares (80,000 acres) of surrounding land. Today, only 43 rooms remain.[3] Within its grounds stands a courthouse with seating for 100 people, along with original furniture and punishment equipment still preserved. After the death of Maduwanwela Maha Disawe, the last of the Maduwanwela family, the walawwa was transferred to Sir Francis Molamure. In 1974, the Maduwanwela Walawwa and its estate, the Maduwanwela Nandigama Watte was taken over to the state by the Land Reform Commission and placed under the administration of the Department of Archaeology as a museum.[4] In 2023, the Government of Sri Lanka leased 35 ha (87 acres) of the estate to Ceylon Tobacco Company for forest farming.[5]
References
- ^ "Gazette". The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 130. 20 September 1974.
- ^ a b Mahil Wijesinghe (9 April 2017). "Maduwanwela Walawwa: Home of rebellious black prince". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ Dilrukshi Handunnetti (4 May 2013). "Maduwanwela Walauwa, the first walauwa to be conserved". The Sunday Leader. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ Chamitha Kuruppu (15 August 2001). "A Prince's Paradise". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ "Historical building land to be provided for CTC forest farming project". newswire.lk. Retrieved 29 November 2023.