Medirigiriya Vatadage
A beautifully preserved circular relic house crowning a low rock, reached by a stone stairway, ringed by concentric rows of pillars and seated Buddhas in a peaceful rural setting.
About 30 km north of Polonnaruwa, in a remote pocket of dry zone forest between Kaudulla and Somawathiya National Parks, Medirigiriya holds one of the two best preserved circular relic shrines surviving from the Anuradhapura period anywhere in Sri Lanka, the other being Thiriyai near Trincomalee. Known in ancient Pali chronicles as Mandalagiri, the site's history stretches back to pre-Christian times, Brahmi characters found carved into surviving bricks and stonework offering physical evidence of just how old the settlement here actually is, with the first documented chronicle reference appearing during the reign of King Kanittha Tissa between 192 and 194 CE.
According to the Culavamsa, Sri Lanka's lesser historical chronicle, the vatadage itself was constructed in the 7th century under King Aggabodhi VI, though numerous subsequent kings continued contributing to and expanding the wider monastic complex across the centuries that followed. The site was eventually abandoned following the 13th century invasion of Kalinga Magha, when Sinhalese populations fled south rather than endure continued conflict, leaving Medirigiriya swallowed by jungle until British archaeologist H.C.P. Bell rediscovered it in 1897, immediately recognizing its significance and calling it an architectural jewel.
Built atop a small rock outcrop with its entrance facing north, visitors climb 27 stone steps past a massive stone entrance frame before reaching a resting platform, then four further steps up to the stupa house itself, where four beautifully carved seated Buddha statues face outward from each cardinal direction around a now ruined central stupa. Concentric rings of stone pillars, remnants of what once supported a wooden roof, still stand largely intact, creating what visitors often describe as resembling a small forest of columns, distinct from Polonnaruwa's more famous vatadage in lacking a massive circular outer wall but arguably even more striking for the sheer density of surviving stonework. Free to enter beyond a small parking fee, and set in a genuinely peaceful, rarely crowded forest setting, Medirigiriya rewards travelers willing to make the detour off the main Anuradhapura-Polonnaruwa road with one of the most atmospheric ancient sites in the entire region.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Small entry fee
- Opening hours: Daylight hours
- Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Best time: Late afternoon
Getting there
At Medirigiriya, about 30km north of Polonnaruwa town.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Medirigiriya Vatadage?
- Small entry fee.
- What are the opening hours at Medirigiriya Vatadage?
- Daylight hours.
- How long should I spend at Medirigiriya Vatadage?
- Plan for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- When is the best time to visit Medirigiriya Vatadage?
- Late afternoon.
- How do I get to Medirigiriya Vatadage?
- At Medirigiriya, about 30km north of Polonnaruwa town.