Sights at Abheyagiri Dagoba, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Artifacts at Abheyagiri, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Carvings in stone.

A water fountain of granite?

Restoration work in progress.

Abhayagiri Vihara, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Abhayagiri Vihara is the ruins of a monastery on the northern part of the ancient city of Anuradhapura. It was formerly known as Uttaravihara, or Northern Monastery, during the ancient times. Usually known simply as Abhayagiri, the monastery grew to almost became a city of its own rivalling Anuradhapura.

Abhayagiri Vihara is one of the eight sacred sites for Buddhists in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. For about 600 years, it was the largest monastery in Sri Lanka, housing 5000 monks on its grounds which covered over 500 acres (235 hectares). The focalpoint of the Abhayagiri Vihara is the Abhayagiri Dagoba and the Ratna Prasada, or chapter house of the Dhammaruci Order.

The Abhayagiri Dagoba is the second biggest brick structure in the world after the Jetavana Dagoba. It was built by King Gajabahu (114-136AD) and reaches a height of 370 feet (115m).

According to local belief, the Abhayagiri Dagoba was built over the footprint of the Buddha. The Buddha is said to have come to Lanka and by his supernatural powers placed one foot in the north of Anuradhapura with the other on top of Adam's Peak.

Within the Abhayagiri complex is the Samadhi Buddha, which depicts the Buddha in the serene state of samadhi, or deepmeditation. A little further north are the twin ponds or Kuttam Pokuna. Beyond the Samadhi Buddha is one of the most outstanding moonstone in Anuradhapura. This moonstone located at the threshold of the queen's pavilion of King Mahasen's Palace.



http://www.asiaexplorers.com/srilanka/abhayagiri_vihara.htm

'Aeth Pokuna' - Elephant pool, Lankaramaya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

A pool many times the size of an Olympic pool, this water reservoir, more than 2000 years old still retains its water, fed by under-ground channels. The name refers to its size. It was used by the residents of  the Lankaramaya, for their washing etc..

Artifacts at Lankaramaya, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Granite stones were used to shape pillars and walls for buildings. Baked clay bricks were used extensively. This was long before the advent of cement and concrete in the Pre-Christian Era.