[2025 Anuradhapura Attraction] Travel Guide for Ruwanweli Maha Seya (Updated Feb)

The Rufan Velisaya Pagoda is a relatively well-repaired and very vigorous pagoda in the ancient city. This stupa was built in the 2nd century BC. It is recognized as a beautiful building built by King Dutu Gamani. It is also the crystallization of the exquisite skills of ancient Sri Lanka. Historical story This stupa was built by the order of King Dutugamonu, but unfortunately he passed away before the construction was completed. However, when the king was lying on the sickbed, a layer of fake bamboo and cloth was placed around the stupa, as if the king saw that his stupa had been completed during his lifetime. His son, Prince Sadatisha, succeeded his father in completing the construction of the pagoda. There is a limestone sculpture to the south of this large stupa, and it is generally believed that the figure in the sculpture is the Dutujia Demonu. Rufan Velisaya used to be not just the name of a tower, but a sect with a sizable monastery. After the building has been damaged by several invasions by the Indian army, the height of the tower is said to be 110 meters at the beginning of its completion, but now it is only 55 meters high, which is much lower than its earlier height. Its shape is no longer the "bubble" shape of its earlier days, and the lower circle is also usually wrapped in bright strips of cloth. The stupa is surrounded by a wall with hundreds of elephants standing side by side. Except for the building not far from the west gate, most of the buildings were copied in modern times in the original style from 140 BC. The surrounding area near the stupa looks like a pleasant green park, dotted with several historical sites, the ruins of the pond and various pillars standing upright in all directions, like a picturesque. Slightly southeast of the stupa, it used to be the place where many monks in Anuradhapura ate.