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Dondra / Devinuwara located 6 km to the east of Matara is one of the popular places of tourist attraction in Matara. It forms the southernmost tip of the country and has a shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is mostly visited during July or August when the annual festival is held.

Devinuwara, also known as Dondra in English, is a small town popularly known as the City of Gods. It is important to the country as a seaport and a holy place for Hinduism. Pilgrims devoted to Lord Vishnu frequent this place for pilgrimage. It has a temple with a gilded copper made roof that flashes far off into the sea and act as a lighthouse to guide the sailing ships. The stone pillars are carved with different shapes and figures that replicate the style of the second half of the 16th Century.

History of Devinuwara in Matara:

Historical evidences reveal that Dondra / Devinuwara was a flourishing city in the time of Ravana and is associated with history dating back to the times of the great epic "Ramayana." A poetical work of the 15th Century describes the deity at Devinuwara in Matara as the destroyer of Asura. Going by the historical record the Temple at Devinuwara and the shrine was built in the 7th century by the then king Dappula I. However it was during the end of the 16th century that Matara was attacked and plundered by the Portuguese force. King Rajasinghe II of the Kandyan Kingdom freed matara and constructed the Devale at Devuniwara in Matara as a devotion to Lord Vishnu, the protector.

Devotees from all over the world visit Devuniwara every year during the Esala Poya Period. Tourists from all over the country and the outside world keep pouring into the place and a visit here is a must inclusion in the touring itinerary during a Matara Tour.

For more details on Dondra / Devinuwara, Matara or other places of tourist attractions in Matara keep browsing travel.mapsofworld.com.

Matara Tourist Attractions
Matara Fort	Dondra/Devinuwara
Weligama	Tangalla
Mulgirigala Rock Temple