Lovamahapaya | Brazen Palace

The magnificent Lovamahapaya, or Brazen Palace, was originally a nine-storied square building—150ft (47m) high, 400ft (120m) on each side, with 40 rows of 40 stone pillars, according to Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of the Sinhalese. The Lovamahapaya of today, or what remains of it, is believed to have taken King Dutugamunu six years to build over 2,000 years ago—but his was not the first, for previous incarnations either burned down or were destroyed by invaders from India. The original was reputedly decorated with corals and precious stones, and its roof was covered with copper-bronze plates, hence the name. It is now a central feature of the Anuradhapura ruins. The building was completely destroyed during the reign of King Saddhatissa, and only the stone pillars remain. The small edifice at the center of the present-day structure is now the Venue of Uposatha (chapter house) of the Maha Vihara.