Architecture

in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka also sometimes called Ceylon. This country is also known as Isle of
Sorrow or Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Ceylon has been the center of
international trade, due to its strategic position on the west-to-east sea routes
and its fine natural harbors.

A. GEOGRAPHICAL
• Sri Lanka is a large island in the Ocean, 32 km(20 miles) off the southern
tip of the Indian peninsula.
• Colombo is the capital city
• Adam's Peak in the south is the "most sacred" mountain in the word
B. GEOLOGICAL
• Sri Lanka is the World's top producer of graphite and limestone. It
also exports rubies and sapphires, tea, rubber and coconut.
• Many kinds of building are exploited. Graphite, limestone, laterite
and sand stone; clay for bricks, roof tiles and pottery, widely used in
the wet district, which also encourage the quick growth of sot and
hard timber, bamboo grasses for thatch and mats, coconut trees, the
wood of which is used for post and roofs, the leaves for thatch and
decoration.
• The dry areas have teak, satin and other hardwoods, all of which
have been and still are used in the building crafts. The topography
was utilized in the past to enhance architectural effects; tanks were
built around rock outcrops, and cities, palaces and temples were
constructed on hills and high rocks.
• The topography was utilized in the past to enhance architectural;
tank were built around rock outcrops, and cities, palaces, and
temples were constructed on hills and high rocks.
C.CLIMATIC
The climate of Sri Lanka is tropical. It is divided
into three climatic zones, which have given rise to
special building characteristics a dry hot zone,
mainly in the north and east, where in the early
civilization vast irrigation tanks were built to
conserve rain water; a central wet region, cool
and invigorating and low-lying hot wet zone in
the south-west; with a very heavy rainfall and
high humidity, where buildings are solid walled,
with wide projecting eaves and verandahs, and
steeply- pitched roofs to ward off rain and sun.
D. RELIGIOUS
• Buddhism and Hinduism were
introduce from India as early as the 3rd
century BC. The Sinhalese established
Buddhist as the official religion of their
kingdoms in Sri Lanka. Buddhism in Sri
Lanka follow the Theravada tradition, in
which the buddha is revered but not
worshipped as a god. The Tamils were
already Hindus by the time they migrated
to the island in significant numbers.
• The long coexistence of Buddhism
and Hinduism led to some fusion of
religious elements. One of the most
distinctive traits of religion in Sri Lanka is
that Buddhists and Hindus share a
common devotion to many of the same
sacred sites and entities. All of Sri Lanka's
Buddhist temples, for example, have
sections for Hindu deities.
HISTORICAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
The recorded history of Ceylon covers
about 2,600 years, for most of which
there is a continuous stream of
evidence from both native and
foreign sources. There were three
significant periods in the
development of the island's and
political life:
The Anuradhapura Period (4th century
BC to 10th A.D) During this period the
foundation were laid for political.,
social and artistic tradition, among
the several Sinhalese kings of this era
noted for their great building works
one stand out above the rest,
Kassapa I who left Anuradhapura to
create a unique city constructed on
and around an immense rock- hill
Sigiriya. KASSAPA I
Sigiriya ( Lion's rock/, Sinhalese) is a large and ancient rock fortress and
palace ruin in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the
remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures.
The Polonnaruwa Period ( 11th - 13th century) the building of the city
was the principal undertaking of King Purakrama BahO the Great.
The Kandyan Period ( 15th - 19th century). This period saw the division of
the country into several kingdoms, with the capital at Kandy in an
area initially undistributed by foreign interference. The Portuguese and
Dutch introduced the Late Renaissance and Baroque to the Colonial
styles, British brought a Colonial Georgian and later, the royal
engineers, Colonial Classic to be seen in the official buildings and
influencing the style of private construction.
Moslems seafarers and merchants had little influence in architecture.
F. Architectural Character
In Ceylon, history begins with the introduction of Buddhism from India
in the 3rd century BC when durable buildings in bricks and appeared
to perishable wood

Anuradhapura Period the earliest remains are the natural rock chambers,
built for the hermits with drip-ledges to carry away rain water. Later, these
were developed with walls to form an enclosure( rock temples). Numerous
remains of molded and dressed stone plinths, pillars and lintels of survive as
evidence of the framed structural system used and skill of masons and
sculpture. A noteworthy featured of the Sinhalese architecture was the
sensitivity shown towards the natural landscape and its intimate relationship to
the building.

The ancient Sinhalese excelled in garden design. The

Anuradhapura period produced not one but two planned gardens.
They were at Sigiriya (5th century), one of the oldest landscaped
garden in the world and Ran Masu Uyana ( 10th century).
The Polonnaruwa Period ( 11th to 13th century).
King Purakrama Baho "the great" (12th century) principally
undertaken the building of this city.
The outstanding architectural creation was a
cetiya-ghara, the "WATA-da- ge" (circular relic
house), built in stone and bricks. The Polonnaruwa
example is exquisitely proportioned.
A quality conspicuous is many of the building.
the gateways, stairways and sculpture lions and
beasts recall Cambodia and Java , two
impressive architectural monuments are Temples
of Lankatilleke and Gadaladeniya, both sited on
rocky eminence.
The Kandyan Period ( 15th to 19th century)
A Kandyan Style is an architecture of wood, catering to the
needs of a simple but well-to-do agricultural civilization. The
Anuradhapura frame structure of pillars and beams is continued
nut in timber, richly craved with the tradition motifs. Roofs are
high- pitched with wide eaves tiles ( with bas reliefs) all of an
ancient pattern . These roofs are striking feature in the
landscape; many leveled, high peaked and visible from afar.
There are many types existing: mostly monasteries with their
temples; the decorative artwork is important. Ancient motifs are
used as an integral part of the building such as windows with
lacquered wood bars, carved timber doorways, ornamental
metal, and work door furniture, painted walls, terracotta reliefs
with plaques and eaves tile. All these art are practiced with
ancient lion, lotus geese and macara motifs.
ARCHITECTURAL EXAMPLE

Thuparama, Anuradhapura a dagoba originally conical

and later rebuilt to inverted bell shaped with pillars which
is typically ornate in capitals.
Jetavanaramaya
the largest bricks structure in the world made with 93 million bricks. It is even
bigger that the Rumanwelisaya at 400 ft high, and after the pyramids in Egypt,
it is the biggest structure in the ancient world.
Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba
a gigantic stupa, 300ft tall, and 905ft round. Popularly regarded as the
greatest, and certainly the most popular among the buddhist, of the stupas at
Anuradhapura, Ruwanveli Seya, is the pride of the Great Emperor
Dutugamunu. Raised in the 2nd century BC, tis dagoba is supposed to have
the perfect water bubble shape. It is also known as Mahathapa, Swanamali
Chaitaya, Suvarnamali Mahaceti ( in Pali) and Rathnamali.
A row of carved elephants support the base of the Ruvanweli Seya
stupa at the ancient city of Anuhradhapura in Sri Lanka. This Buddhist
monument with its bubble- shaped dome rises 55 m (180ft) high and
dates largely from the 2nd century.
Ambasthala Dagoba
Mihintale Hill which means Mango Tree Temple. It is a small structure with a
nice story. According to the legend, the temple was built on the spot where
King Devanampiyatissa, while in the middle of hunting, was surprised by
Mahinda. The letter then quizzed the king about mango tree in order to test
his intelligence.
Dambulla Complex of cave monasteries
also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a World Heritage Site (1991)
in Sri Lanka, situated in the central part of the country. It is the largest and best
preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. There are morethan 80
.documented caves in the surroundings
Watadage
also known as vatadage, dage, thupagara and cetiyagara; a Buddhist
structure found in Sri Lanka. Although it may had some Indian influence, it is a
structure that is more or less unique to ancient Sri Lanka architecture.
Vatadage were built around small stupas ;for their protection, which often
enshrined a relic or were built on hallowed ground. Circular shape, they were
commonly built of stone and brick and adorned with elaborate stone
carvings. Vatadages may also had rows. Only ten vatadages now remain in
Sri Lanka.
Sinhalese Ruins, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is the site of the ancient civilization
of Sinhala. Remains of many Buddhist shrines.
Cetiya-ghara "watadage”
Lankatilaka Temple
is considered to be one of the best preserved examples of traditional
Sinhalese temple architecture. Built on a rock, the temple is reached by long
series of rock cut steps.
Lankatilaka Gegide a huge temple during the reign of
Parakrambahu, the 17 m walls still stand, but the roof is gone, as is the
head of the colossal Buddha image that stands within, the walls are
carved with friezes of Polonnaruwa in its golden age.
Gadalageniya Temple built in 1344 by King Wikramabahu. The
architecture is Dravidian.
Aluvihara Hindu Temple in Matale, is the historic
location where the Pali Canon was first written down
completely in text on olla (palm) leaves.
Interior
Hindagala Temple is very important place in Sri Lanka
history since the Hindagala temple is related to many
ancient legends and amazing wall paintings. The vihara
geye is totally built under a natural large rock.
Kiri (white) Vihara
aptly named, this large dagoba's white washed plaster has survived seven
centuries of abandonment to the jungle between the collapse of the
Polonnaruwa kingdom and its rediscovery in the 19th century. It is the best
preserved of the island's unrestored dagoba.
Dalada Maligawa
temple of the Sacred Tooth relic in Kandy is the most venerated
place worship for Buddhist throughout the world. Built in 16 th
century, this temple houses the sacred tooth relic of Buddha
brought to Sri Lanka from Kalinga Province in ancient India in the 4th
century AD.
The Neo –Baroque style
old parliament building, which is now the presidential secretariat.