Nalanda is situated
en-route between Dambulla and Matale.
The gedige built in the 8th century at Nalanda is the earliest known all-stone building in Sri Lanka. This is a rare example of the amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist architecture. Probably a Mahayanist shrine, its stones, now being resembled, contains rare tantric carvings of sexual theme. The site is beside a tank 1 km east of the main road.