• Kandy Esala Perahera - 12 August 2026 - 22 August 2026
  • Kandyan Dance Festival - 5 September 2026 - 7 September 2026
  • Peradeniya Flower and Orchid Show - 19 September 2026 - 27 September 2026
  • Hill Country Tea Festival - 10 October 2026 - 12 October 2026
  • Kandy Traditional Crafts Fair - 24 October 2026 - 26 October 2026
  • Archaeology Open Day - 8 November 2026
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Colonial-era facade with tall shuttered windows and stone detailing

News

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Announcements from the departments, councils and institutions that together run the city and care for its heritage.

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Layered green hills fading into cloud above a highland valley

Tourism Department

Kandy visitor arrivals up 18 percent in the second quarter

Provincial figures show sustained growth in overnight stays, with the strongest increase in visitors staying three nights or longer to reach the surrounding hill country.

Kandy Lake ringed by its walled parapet and wooded hills

Kandy Municipal Council

Lakeside walk restoration enters its final phase

Resurfacing of the northern promenade and repairs to the walled parapet are scheduled for completion before the Esala season, with night lighting upgraded along the full circuit.

Torch flames carried through a darkened festival street

Sri Dalada Maligawa

Route and viewing arrangements confirmed for Esala Perahera

The Maligawa has published the nightly procession order for the ten-night festival, together with guidance on dress, photography and designated public viewing areas.

Carved stone relief worn smooth by weather and time

Department of Archaeology

Moonstone conservation project begins at the palace precinct

Conservators have started stabilising four carved moonstones at the entrance to the old palace complex, using a reversible consolidant trialled at Polonnaruwa.

Public bus at a busy city stand

District Secretariat

District transport plan adds two park-and-ride sites

Two peripheral parking sites with shuttle links to the city centre will open in stages, intended to reduce private vehicle traffic inside the sacred precinct.

Detail of hand-carved timber panelling

University of Peradeniya

Faculty completes survey of Kandyan timber architecture

A three-year survey has documented 214 surviving examples of Kandyan-period timber construction across the district, with the full record to be published as an open dataset.

Platform and colonial-era canopy of Kandy railway station

Tourism Department

New tourist information point opens at the railway station

A staffed information desk now operates on the main platform, offering route advice, accessible transport guidance and printed maps in six languages.

Spices and dried goods heaped in open sacks at a market stall

Kandy Municipal Council

Municipal market upper floor reopens after refit

The spice and dry goods balcony has reopened with improved ventilation, new drainage and a dedicated loading bay to keep Station Road clear during morning deliveries.

Orchids flowering inside a humid glasshouse

District Secretariat

Orchid house glazing replaced at Peradeniya

Storm damage to the orchid house has been repaired with laminated glazing, and the collection has returned to public display ahead of the September show.

Aged manuscript pages and bindings in an archive

Department of Archaeology

Excavation report published for the Kandy palace stone yard

The department has released its report on two seasons of excavation, including a revised plan of the service buildings on the northern edge of the precinct.

Golden roof and white walls of the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple complex

Sri Dalada Maligawa

Updated visitor guidance for the inner terrace

Revised guidance sets out queuing arrangements for the thevava, quiet hours for pilgrims, and a step-free route to the outer terrace for visitors with reduced mobility.

Guide leading visitors along a scenic walking trail

University of Peradeniya

Student heritage guide programme opens for applications

Undergraduates can train as accredited weekend guides for the palace precinct and museum quarter, with a first cohort of thirty places for the coming academic year.