Ruvanvalisaya

Simply known also as the Great Stupa, the Ruvanvalisaya was constructed by Dutthagamani after he became king in 161 BCE.  This was his most ambitious project and it is said that one of the architects designed the dome to resemble a bubble of milk.  Sadly, the king did not live to see the completion of the stupa.When it was finally completed, it was one of the wonders of the ancient world, with a diameter of 90 metres at the base and a height of 91 metres. The compound of the stupa is surrounded by four walls with elephant figures made into them. It is believed that relics of the Buddha are enshrined within the stupa.
The Ruvanvalisaya was also designed with the teachings of the Buddha in mind.  Its dome signifies the vastness of the doctrine, the four facets above it represent the Four Noble Truths, the concentric rings indicate the Noble Eightfold Path, and the large crystal at the pinnacle represents the ultimate Buddhist goal of enlightenment.

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Avukana

Avukana Buddha statue

Near the village of Avukana, located in the Anuradhapura district, stands the tallest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka.  The Avukana Buddha statue is almost 12 metres high and is carved out from a granite cliff.  It is almost free-standing, being joined to the cliff by just a narrow piece of rock.It is commonly believed that this statue was constructed sometime in the 5th century, during the reign of King Dhatusena.  Although carved more than a thousand years ago, the Avukana Buddha statue is in extremely good condition, with its features and details still very sharp and clear.  Despite its size, it was very delicately carved, resulting in an image of finesse and grace.
To give a sense of the statue’s size, a person of average height would stand as tall as its toes.  It is so well crafted that raindrops will flow down vertically and land right between the feet of the statue.

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Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura

Located in the north-west of the island, Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for 1,400 years.  It is slightly more than 200 kilometers from Colombo and a drive of around 6 hours.  Anuradhapura gained much greater prominence with the advent of Buddhism on the island, after which many significant buildings and monasteries were constructed.

The three greatest monasteries of Sri Lanka, the Mahavihara, the Abhayagiri and the Jethavana, were all located in Anuradhapura.  Visitors will see mainly the ruins of these monasteries and other structures associated with them.

All the other buildings have long since disappeared. Due to its vulnerability to attacks from South Indian raiders, Anuradhapura gradually lost its importance by the 9^th century, and the political seat of the island shifted south-east to Polonnaruwa.  It was abandoned by the 11^th Century and swallowed by the jungle, lost for almost a thousand years.  The City and its important ruins were rediscovered only in the early 19^th Century with the help of the British.

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