Large Ancient Stupas in Sri Lanka - record-breaking
Ruwanweliseya in Anuradhapura
|
During their period, the three big stupas of Anuradhapura - Ruwanweliseya from the 2nd century BC, Abhayagiri from the 1st century BC, and Jetavanarama from the 4th century AD - were not only the world's öargest Buddhist monuments, they also were the Asia's tallest buildings. From the same period is the large stupa dome of Dighavapi in the east of the country.
In the Polonnaruwa period, the largest stupa ever was constructed, the Demala Maha Seya. However, it's less impressive today. Firstly, it was not toll, instead of a hemispherical dome like the classic Anuradhapura stupas it had a very wide and flat shape, a small stupa on a large elevated terrace which was the main stupa, but in the form of a hemispherical dome the upper three quarters of which are missing. This flat "cut stupa type" can also be found in the west and in the south of the country, which were former independent principalities conquered by Polonnaruwa's King Parakramabahu the Great. The stupa at his birthplace in Dedigama is of this said flat shape, called Kotavehera type. The stupa at the hometown of his mother in the south, Yudaganawa, is the largest of this type that can be seen today (2023). Jowever, this will change in the years to come, because the record-breaking stupa of Demala Maha Seya, which is in ruins and looked more like a natural forested hillock in recent years, will be restored in the future. As long as this ambitious project is not halfway completed, the largest stupa in Polonnaruwa is Rankot Vehera. It's of the classic hemispherical shape, but not as big as the abovementioned three older stupas in Anuradhapura.
In the Polonnaruwa period, the largest stupa ever was constructed, the Demala Maha Seya. However, it's less impressive today. Firstly, it was not toll, instead of a hemispherical dome like the classic Anuradhapura stupas it had a very wide and flat shape, a small stupa on a large elevated terrace which was the main stupa, but in the form of a hemispherical dome the upper three quarters of which are missing. This flat "cut stupa type" can also be found in the west and in the south of the country, which were former independent principalities conquered by Polonnaruwa's King Parakramabahu the Great. The stupa at his birthplace in Dedigama is of this said flat shape, called Kotavehera type. The stupa at the hometown of his mother in the south, Yudaganawa, is the largest of this type that can be seen today (2023). Jowever, this will change in the years to come, because the record-breaking stupa of Demala Maha Seya, which is in ruins and looked more like a natural forested hillock in recent years, will be restored in the future. As long as this ambitious project is not halfway completed, the largest stupa in Polonnaruwa is Rankot Vehera. It's of the classic hemispherical shape, but not as big as the abovementioned three older stupas in Anuradhapura.
for opening a destination page in a new tab, please click the image
for going to the destination page in the same tab, please click the name in the text line below the image
for going to the destination page in the same tab, please click the name in the text line below the image
