A gleaming white dome-shaped stupa and one of the most sacred and revered monuments in the Buddhist world.

Overview

Ruwanwelisaya, also called the Great Stupa or Mahathupa, is the most venerated of Anuradhapura's dagobas, its brilliant white dome rising above a terrace ringed by a wall of stone elephants. Pilgrims in white circle the stupa with lotus offerings, and the site is especially magical at dawn and dusk. The monument is believed to enshrine relics of the Buddha.

History

The stupa was built by King Dutugemunu around 140 BCE after he unified the island, and was later restored many times over the centuries. It once stood over 90 metres tall and remains among the largest ancient brick structures ever built. It forms part of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1982.