Image title: Gate House (of the Sacred Quadrangle)

This photograph shows the Gate House (dvara-mandapa) and several other structures part of the elevated terrace known as Dalada Maluva (the Sacred Quadrangle). It is known as such because the Temple of the Tooth was located here. Buildings on this Quadrangle were either shrines for the tooth-relic or connected with its worship.

The Gate-house is also known as:

Sinhalese:
ද්වාර මණ්ඩපය
dvāra maṇḍapa [maṇḍapaya]
dvara mandapa [mandapaya]

Tamil:
நுழைவாயில்
nuḻaivāyil
nuzhaivayil

For more details and text, see previous photo.

Gallery information:

These photographs were taken at the Polonnaruwa archaeological site which preserve some of the monuments and religious structures of the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa (also Pulathisipura or Vijayarajapura) of Sri Lanka dating to the 10th century CE. Some of the important kings who reigned in this kingdom are King Vijayabahu I and his grandson, king Prakramabahu the Great. The city and it's architecture were influenced by various religious such as Hinduism in its early history, Shaivism and later Buddhism.