Sri Dalada Maligawa or the
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a
Buddhist temple in the city of
Kandy,
Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former
Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the
relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a
World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple.