The Abhayagiri stupa was built by King Vattagamini Abhaya in 88 BCE after regaining his throne. He constructed it over a Jain monastery, fulfilling a vow made after being mocked by a Jain ascetic while fleeing for his life from South Indian invaders. It was the largest monastery in Sri Lanka for over 600 years and at its peak, housed as many as 5,000 monks.
The Abhayagiri stupa was built by King Gajabahu I in the 2nd century CE, and stands 72 metres high with a diameter of 94 metres. The Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien described the stupa as being covered with gold and jewels when he visited it in 412 CEo after falling into neglect and covered by the jungle, it was rediscovered by the British in 1828.
The Ruwanwali Maha Saya was constructed by kig Dutugamunu in 161 BCE. This was his most valuable project and it is said that one of the architects designed a bubble of milk. Unfortunately, the king Dutugamunu did not live to see the completion of the Ruvanvalisaya. This sthupa was one of the wonders of the world, with it’s diameter of 90 meters at the base and a height of 91 meters. The complex of the Ruvanvalisaya is surrounded by four walls with elephant statutes made into them
Source by
Island of Light
Buddhism in Sri Lnka
http://www.justbegood.net/Downloads/IslandOfLight.pdf
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