A vast, squat ancient stupa near Buttala with a base circumference of over 300 m, one of the largest dagobas in southern Sri Lanka.

Overview

The Yudaganawa stupa is an enormous, unusually broad and low brick dagoba on the Wellawaya-Buttala road, its base measuring more than 300 m around, making it one of the largest ancient stupas in the south of the island. Only partly restored, its weathered dome rises from a wide terrace and is best appreciated for its sheer scale. A small nearby image house preserves old Buddha statues and fragments of ancient murals, adding to the sense of a long-venerated site.

History

Tradition dates the origins of Yudaganawa to around the 2nd century BCE and links it in legend to battles fought by early Sinhalese royalty, with the name popularly connected to a great battlefield. The colossal stupa is thought to have been raised to enshrine relics and commemorate royal victories in the ancient kingdom of Ruhuna.