Medirigiriya Vatadage Medirigiriya (Sinhala: මැදිරිගිරිය වටදාගේ සහ පුරාවිද්යා නටඹුන්) is a ruined Buddhist monastery located in Medirigiriya village in Polonnaruwa District, Sri Lanka. The site is famous among visitors due to its magnificent circular relic house popularly known as Medirigiriya Vatadage . History
Evidence is available to show that Medirigiriya was an important Buddhist place of worship from pre-Christian times up to about the 13th century A.D. (Jayasuriya, 2016). Bricks from pre-Christian times have been found at the site (Fernando, 1990).
The ancient Mandalagiraka Vihara of the Tissa Vaddhamanaka District has been identified as the present Medirigiriya Viharaya (Wikramagamage, 2004). According to Mahavamsa, King Kanitthatissa (167-186 A.D.) constructed an Uposathaghara (a chapter house) there (Jayasuriya, 2016; Wikramagamage, 2004; Wickremasinghe, 1928). Later a Cetiyaghara (a Stupa-house) was built around the Medirigiriya Stupa by the son of King Agrabodhi IV [(667-683 A.D.) Nicholas,…
