Ruwanwelisaya

The Ruwanwelisaya is a stupa, a hemispherical structure containing relics, in Sri Lanka, considered sacred to many Buddhists all over the world. It was built by King Dutugemunu[citation needed] c. 140 B.C., who became lord of all Sri Lanka after a war in which the Chola King Ellalan, was defeated. It is also known as "Mahathupa", "Swarnamali Chaitya", "Suvarnamali Mahaceti" (in Pali) and "Rathnamali Dagaba".

This is one of the "Solosmasthana" (the 16 places of veneration) and the "Atamasthana" (the 8 places of veneration in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura). The stupa is one of the world's tallest monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft). The Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in Sagaing, Myanmar is modeled after this stupa.

The stupa was a ruin in the 19th century. After fundraising efforts by Sinhalese...