Aluvihare

Aluvihare is a suburb of Matale, in Central [Province, Sri Lanka|Central Province] of Sri Lanka. It lies north of Matale and north-east of the capital Colombo.
The suburb is situated on the Kandy-Jaffna highway .
It was founded by Valagamba of Anuradhapura, around 300 B.C. but did not receive the name Aluvihare until a later date.
The Aluvihare family originated from the area, an important family responsible for looking after the Aluvihare [Rock Temple], and thus serving the Buddhist community in Sri Lanka.
Today, Aluvihare is a popular attraction for both tourists and Buddhists wishing to visit the Aluvihare Rock Temple.