The oldest dagoba in Sri Lanka, a small bell-shaped stupa ringed by slender ancient stone pillars.

Overview

Thuparamaya is a modest but historically pivotal stupa, the first ever built on the island and said to enshrine the right collarbone relic of the Buddha. The restored bell-shaped dome is encircled by rows of weathered stone columns that once supported a vatadage (circular relic house), making it one of Anuradhapura's most photogenic monuments.

History

The stupa was built by King Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BCE, immediately after Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka, making it the country's earliest dagoba. It has been restored several times and is part of the UNESCO-listed Sacred City of Anuradhapura.