Image title: Vatadage (detail)

Polonnaruwa Vatadage is one of the architectural marvels in Polonnaruva. This may have been originally used as the Temple of the Tooth as there is mention of a round relic house built by King Parakramabahu the Great (1153-1186 A.D.). But according to the galpota (stone book) inscription, King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 A.D.) has built a vatadage within the quadrangle naming it Ratnagiri Vatadage, which suggests that at least some renovation or reconstruction work has been done here during King Nissankamalla's reign. Just as other vatadages in the island, this too appears as a round building enclosing a stupa at its center. [...]

For more details and text, see previous photos.

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.