Kandy Lake

Kandy Lake is an artificial urban lake in the centre of Kandy, Sri Lanka, created in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe. It occupies a central position next to the city’s religious and administrative heart.

A continuous lakeside promenade and short parkland provide a peaceful circuit in the middle of the city, with views toward the Temple of the Tooth on the lake’s northern shore. The water attracts local birdlife and offers a simple, accessible urban green space used for walking and photography.

Constructed in the early 19th century by the Kandyan monarchy, the lake was formed by damming a stream and creating a landscaped water body beside the royal palace complex. It has remained a defining feature of Kandy’s urban layout since that time.

The lake sits in central Kandy in Sri Lanka’s Central Province, immediately south of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and within walking distance of the city’s main streets and government buildings.

• Lakeside walk: A paved path runs around most of the lake and provides one of the easiest short city walks in Kandy, linking major city sites on the lake's shore.
• Historic setting: The lake was created in the early 19th century by the last Kandyan king and sits adjacent to the Temple of the Tooth complex, making it central to Kandy's historic core.