The Jetavana stupa

This  colossal  Stupa  was  built  by  King  Mahasena  towards  the  end  of the  4th  century  and  is  considered  the  largest  Stupa  in  the  world.    It  was originally  about  160  meters  tall  and  an  estimated  93  million  bricks  were needed in its construction.  It is believed that a part of the Buddha’s belt is enshrined within this Stupa.  Surrounding it is a huge terrace capable of accommodating up to 30,000 devotees.  The Jetavana Stupa is an excellent example of ancient Sri Lankan engineering and construction.

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The Twin Ponds

These  were  large  bathing  tanks  that  catered  to  the  needs  of  the  monks and  staff  of  the  Abhayagiri  and  were  built  around  the  8th  century. Water was filtered several times before flowing into the ponds through a dragon-headed spout.  Other noteworthy features are the beautiful carvings around the ponds and the snake-shaped guard stones.

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The Samadhi Buddha Statue

The Samadhi Buddha Statue Made in the 4th century and about 1.75 meters high, the Samadhi Buddha

statue  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  Sri  Lankan  sculpture. The  Statue shows  the  Buddha  sitting  cross-legged  in  a  meditating, or ‘Samadhi’ posture. Nehru,  the first Prime Minister  of  India,  derived  strength  from looking at a picture of this statue during his imprisonment by the British.

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The Abhayagiri

The Abhayagiri Monastery was built by King Vattagamini Abhaya in 88 BCE after regaining his throne.  He constructed it over a Jain monastery, fulfilling a vow made after being mocked by a Jain ascetic while fleeing for his life from South Indian invaders.  It was the largest monastery in Sri Lanka for over 600 years and at its peak, housed as many as 5,000 monks.

The Abhayagiri  Stupa was built by King Gajabahu I in the 2nd century CE, and  stands  72  meters  high  with  a  diameter  of  94  meters.    The  Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien described the Stupa as being covered with gold and jewels when he visited it in 412 CE.  After falling into neglect and covered by the jungle, it was rediscovered by the British in 1828.         

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