Originally constructed between 1687 and 1707 by the Kandyan Kings to house and honor the sacred tooth relic, the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) is located in the city`s center. The place name {Maligawa` (palace) literally means palace, and the temple is a component of the palace complex.

But when Princess Hemamali escaped the Hindu armies that were encircling her father`s kingdom in India, it was concealed in her hair and quickly gained immense respect, leading to its being housed in a set of interlocking jeweled reliquaries. Over time, the custodianship of the relic came to represent the right to rule because the relic belonged to the monarch.

The tooth relic temples, which date back to the periods of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa, and the Kingdom of Dambadeniya, are constructed in close proximity to the royal residences for this reason. Nevertheless, the tooth was displayed for every national holiday and paraded atop elephants, which are considered to be highly sacred to the Buddha.