Lankarama, Buddhist stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Lankarama is a stupa in Anuradhapura built on a raised circular platform approximately 406 meters across that sits about 3 meters above ground level. At the center of this platform stands the main stupa structure, roughly 14 meters in diameter.
King Valagamba commissioned this religious monument during the first century BCE as a place for Buddhist teaching and meditation. This marked the establishment of one of the region's important centers for spiritual practice.
The stone pillars surrounding this stupa show where a vatadage once stood, a covered structure that was typical of ancient Sri Lankan Buddhist designs. When you walk around the site, these pillars help you visualize how the original building enclosed and protected the sacred center.
The raised platform offers plenty of space to walk around and view the site from different angles. Visitors should take their time to walk the perimeter and observe the stone pillars that mark the old structure.
This monument connects to the Eth Pokuna, an ancient man-made pond, through an underground canal system that moves large amounts of water beneath the surface. This hidden engineering link reveals how separate ancient structures worked together as part of a larger system.
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