Abhayagiri Dagoba

The famed Abhayagiri Stupa is at the heart of Abhayagiri Vih?ra, a major royal capital and monastic site that is now one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage destinations in Sri Lanka. This beautiful and historic Anuradhapura stupa, built in the reign of King Vattagamini Abaya in the 1st Century BC, is the second largest on the island, standing 245ft (75) to the tip of its damaged spire. The visiting 5th-century Chinese monk Fa-Hsien described this amazing building as being 400ft (122m) high and covered in gold, silver and precious gems, and including a 20ft (6m) green jade statue of Buddha. Today there is a major on-going effort to restore the stupa to its original glory. As a particularly high-ranking historic monument, it is hugely important to the history of Anuradhapura. it is not only of special importance to Sri Lanka’s culture, but also venerated by Buddhists the world over.