Medirigiriya Vatadage

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Built on a rock outcrop, the Medirigiriya Vatadage is an amazing structure from the Anuradhapura era. It was recorded that the Vatadage was built in the second century under the reign of King Kanitta Tissa of Anuradhapura.

With a staircase leading to the top of the boulder, and two impressive punkalas “pots of abundance” on each side of the entrance, the Medirigiriya Vatadage represents the elegant workmanship of ancient Sinhalese. A quadrangle platform was built on the boulder to level the surface, where three levels of diminishing circular pavilions raised-up the floor of the Vatadage. The circular structure has a latticed stone fence built surrounding octagonal stone pillars with lotus buds on top. Pillars with increasing heights (9 feet, 16 feet, 17 feet) were fixed in three diminishing circles to form a beautiful circular inclined roof.Inside the Vatadage are four exquisite buddha statues surrounding a stupa. 

The Vatadage was believed to be abandoned after the invasions of South Indian king Kalinga Magha.