Built on the site of the ancient, and now lost, Mandalagiri Viharaya, the Medirigiriya Vatadage and its nearby buildings belong to a unique Buddhist monastic architectural style. Because of this, the Medirigiriya Vatadage is one of the three best preserved examples of a vatadage in Sri Lanka, and it is also the oldest among them.
Located about 30km north of Polonnaruwa, many people may think that Medirigiriya belongs to the Polonnaruwa Period of Sri Lankan history. However, the vatadage at Medirigiriya is much older and is believed to have been built by King Aggabodhi IV in the late seventh century.
The Medirigiriya complex includes the vatadage – which literally means “circular relic house”, four image houses containing granite and limestone Buddha statues in different conditions, and an older brick stupa whose exact age is unknown. To the northeast of the complex are the ruins of an ancient hospital, although it is unlikely that it was directly connected to the main Buddhist site.
Medirigiriya is built on three levels along an east-west direction, and several steps lead visitors to the first level. About 50 meters further is a taller flight of stairs that serves as the main entrance. At the top of these steps, standing stone columns remain, which may have once been part of a residence or building.
From there, the footpath goes almost directly west for about 100 meters, passing between two large rock formations before reaching what is locally known as the Pichcha Mal Viharaya. This is an image house that contains five granite Buddha statues; three standing statues with two seated statues placed at right angles.
The rock formations on both sides of the path create the third level of the complex, and several structures can be seen on top of them. On the northern and taller rock, there is a brick stupa that is believed to be older than the other ruins at Medirigiriya. The earliest mention of the site refers to it as the Mandalagiri Viharaya and is recorded in the Mahavamsa during the time of King Aggabodhi II’s son. A small flight of stairs has been cut directly into the rock, leading up to the top.
This is the highest point in Medirigiriya and provides an excellent view of the opposite rock and the vatadage, which stands on the second-highest level. The rock slopes gently towards the west, where three image houses are arranged in a row along its ridge.
Unlike the rough steps cut into the northern rock, the vatadage can be reached by walking through a free-standing stone doorway and climbing two beautiful flights of stairs made from the same granite blocks used in the rest of the temple. With its steep stairways, wide surrounding platform, and multiple levels, the temple somewhat resembles Maya and Aztec architecture, although it is much simpler.
As a dagoba, or relic house, the Medirigiriya Vatadage was most likely built to protect a sacred relic that was kept inside a stupa. However, some vatadages – such as the one at Mihintale – were built on sacred ground, probably to protect an already existing dagoba. Whatever the original purpose of Medirigiriya was, the small stupa inside the vatadage is now hardly recognizable, as its softer bricks have been damaged by weather more than the stronger granite structure around it.
The stupa is surrounded by three circles of stone columns. The inner circle has 16 columns that are about 17 feet tall. The middle circle has 20 columns that are about 16 feet tall, and they are placed in line with four limestone Buddha statues facing the four main directions. Between the middle and outer circles are the remains of a brick wall which, like the stupa, has been damaged over time. It is possible that this wall, similar to the one at the Polonnaruwa Vatadage, once rose as high as the columns and was decorated with paintings. The outer circle has 32 columns that are only 9 feet high, suggesting that they once supported a dome-shaped or cone-shaped wooden roof. A lower stone wall, designed in a post-and-rail style, surrounds the outer ring.
The height of these columns also gives an idea of how tall the stupa may have been, since it needed to fit under the roof. It also suggests how tall larger stupas – such as the Thuparamaya – may have been when they were first built, before later restorations made them taller than their vatadage columns. The three image houses located to the west of the Medirigiriya Vatadage are not very well preserved. Only small remains of their walls can be seen above the ground, along with parts of the statues.
The Pichcha Mal Viharaya is the best preserved of the image houses and is also the largest. Its five beautiful Buddha statues create a peaceful atmosphere that encourages visitors to sit quietly and reflect on the beliefs, dedication, and craftsmanship of the builders of Medirigiriya. It is also common to see visitors praying and reciting Buddhist verses there, especially on Poya days.
Medirigiriya can be easily reached from Minneriya or Giritale. The final part of the journey is along a pleasant country road that passes through paddy fields and follows a wide green canal. It is a short detour for anyone travelling to Polonnaruwa, and it is well worth the visit. Although the Polonnaruwa Vatadage is much better preserved, Medirigiriya is about five hundred years older and is arguably the best surviving example of its kind from the Anuradhapura period.
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