RUWANVELI DAGOBA

The greatest Dagoba of all is the Ruwanveliseya,” the dagoba of the golden dust”, the gigantic creation of one of ancient Lanka’s most famous kings

Dutugemunu. 

The sad irony of it is that Dutugemunu did not live to see the completion of his great  work. As it was called the Mahathpa and is held in special veneration by the Buddhists of Ceylon.

Picture to yourself a swelling white breasted dome with gilded spire striving towards a blue sky and catching the rays of the tropic sun that wad the Ruwanevliseya in the days of its glory.

It stands on a paved courtyard 475 ft square on a paved courtyard 475 ft square, the diameter of the dome is 254 ft  .  and  its height is 178 ft . The ground of the foundation stone was , (according to the Mahavansa), prepared as follows :

Sheet of silver(topmost layer); sheet of copper; stones; mountain crystal; sweet-scented marimba; network of iron; Cinnabar; Rough cement;  Bricks; Butter-clay (so called because of its fineness); Crushed stones (bottom layer).

During the building operation the king directed that all the workmen be provided with not only their wages, food, drink, sweet-smelling flowers  of  mouth perfumes, so that they might perform their labour  in an atmosphere untainted. The restoration and rebuilding  memorial to the artistic genius and the deep, strong faith of the Sinhalese.