A huge brick stupa at the centre of the ancient Abhayagiri monastic city, once a great international seat of Buddhist learning.

Overview

The Abhayagiri Dagoba anchors a sprawling ruined monastery in the northern part of the Sacred City, dotted with ponds, moonstones, guardstones and the famous twin ponds (Kuttam Pokuna). In its prime the complex was a renowned centre of scholarship drawing monks and pilgrims from across Asia, and it is a rewarding area to explore by bicycle.

History

Abhayagiri was founded by King Valagamba in the 1st century BCE and grew into one of the three great monasteries of Anuradhapura, a cosmopolitan hub of Mahayana and Theravada study. The Chinese monk Faxian studied here in the 5th century CE. The site forms part of the UNESCO-listed Sacred City.