Atamasthana
Atamasthana (
The sacred city of Anuradhapura exerted a considerable influence on the development of architecture in the country for several centuries. The city was nominated as a
According to the
The city's apogee was reached under the reign of
List of Atamasthana
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a
The area around the Sri Maha Bodhi, the Brazen Palace and Ruvanvelisaya dageba was once probably part of the Maha Vihara (Great Temple). The sacred bodhi tree is the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world, for it has been tended by an uninterrupted succession of guardians for over 2000 years, even during the periods of Indian occupation.[3]
The Uda Maluwa, 35 feet by 55 feet, is 35 feet above the ground. The wall was constructed during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasingha, to protect it from wild elephants. The late Ven. Pallegama Rewatha Thera had planted the Pariwara Bo trees (accompanying Bo trees) to camouflage the Bodhi to pd to safeguard it from natural disasters such as strong winds and rains.
All Sri Lankan Heads of State usually have sought the blessings of the Sri Maha Bodhi before commencing any important work.[4]
Ruwanwelisaya
The Ruwanwelisaya is a
Today, after incurring much damage from invading Indian forces, it rises 55m, considerably less than its original height; nor is its form the same as the earlier ‘bubble’ shape. A limestone statue south of the great dageba is popularly thought to be of King Dutugemunu.[5]
Thuparamaya
Thuparamaya is a
Thuparama dageba is the oldest dageba in Sri Lanka – indeed, probably the oldest visible dageba in the world. It was constructed by Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BC and is said to contain the right collarbone of the Buddha. Its ‘heap-of-paddy-rice’ shape was restored in 1862 in a more conventional bell shape and to a height of 19m.
The surrounding vatadage's slender, capital-topped pillars, perhaps the dageba's most unusual feature, enclose the structure in four concentric circles. Impressions on the dageba pediments indicate the pillars originally numbered 176, of which 41 still stand. Although some Sri Lankan scholars believe these once supported a conical wooden roof, there is no archaeological evidence for this theory, nor does it follow any known antecedent in South India, whose dagebas were the prototypes for virtually all Sinhalese dagebas.[6]
Lovamahapaya
Lovamahapaya is a building situated between Ruvanveliseya and Sri Mahabodiya in the ancient city of
It was originally built by King Dutugemunu more than 2,000 years ago, but throughout the ages, it was rebuilt many times, each time a little less grandiosely. There are remains of 1600 columns all that is left of this huge palace, Archaeological evidence said to have had nine storeys and could accommodate around 1000 monks and attendants.
The current stand of pillars (now fenced off) is all that remains from the last rebuild – that of King Parakramabahu around the 12th century.[7]
Abhayagiri Dagaba
The Abhayagiri Dagaba is situated in
The 1st or 2nd century BC Abhayagiri dageba (confused by some books and maps with the Jetavanarama), was the centrepiece of a monastery of 5000 monks. The name means ‘Hill of Protection’ or ‘Fearless Hill’, another claim ‘Giri’ was the name of a local Jain monk. The monastery was part of the ‘School of the Secret Forest’, a heretical sect that studied both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, also Chinese traveller Faxian (also spelt Fa Hsien) visited in AD 412.
The dageba was probably rebuilt several times to reach its peak 75m height. It has some interesting bas-reliefs, including one near the western stairway of an elephant pulling up a tree. A large slab with a Buddha footprint can be seen on the northern side, and the eastern and western steps have unusual moonstones made from concentric stone slabs.[9]
Jetavanaramaya
The Jetavanaramaya is a
The archaeologists believe it may have an original height of over 100m, but today is about 70m, and this was a similar height to the Abhayagiri as well. When it was built, it was the third-tallest monument in the world, the first two being Egyptian pyramids. A British guidebook from the early 20th century calculated that there were enough bricks in the dageba's brick core to make a 3m-high wall stretching from London to Edinburgh.
Behind it stand the ruins of a monastery that could accommodate around 3000 monks, and one building has doorjambs over 8 m high which is still standing, with another 3 m underground. At one time, massive doors opened to reveal a large Buddha image.[11]
Mirisaveti Stupa
The Mirisaveti
Lankarama
Lankarama is a stupa built by King Valagamba, in an ancient place at Galhebakada in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Nothing is known about the ancient form of the stupa, and later this was renovated. The ruins show that there are rows of stone pillars and it is no doubt that there has been a house built encircling the stupa (Vatadage) to cover it. The round courtyard of the stupa seems to be 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground. The diameter of the stupa is 45 feet (14 m). The courtyard is circular in shape and the diameter is 1,332 feet (406 m).
See also
References
- ^ "Anuradhapura". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "Sacred City of Anuradhapura". UNESCO.org. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "Lonely Planet review for Sri Maha Bodhi". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "Caring for the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi". Sunday Observer. 2011-07-03. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
- ^ "Lonely Planet review for Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "Lonely Planet review for Thuparama Dagoba". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
- ^ "Lonely Planet review for Brazen Palace". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- ^ "Abhayagiri". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "Lonely Planet review for Abhayagiri Dagoba". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
- ^ "New Page 1". Archived from the original on 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- ^ "Lonely Planet review for Jetavanarama Dagoba". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- ^ "The Official Website of Mirisawetiya Maha Dagaba - Sri Lanka". Archived from the original on 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2010-11-05.