Tissamahaviharaya
The Tissamaharam MahaVihara is one of the largest Pagodas (stupa) and stupa is a Buddhist dome-shaped religious monument found largely on the Indian subcontinent and called a dagoba in Sri Lanka. The Tissamaharam Maha Viharaya was built in the 2nd century BCE by King Kawantissa in Ruhuna. The site was consecrated by Buddha himself, who spent some time in meditation there with 500 Arahants. This is one of the 16 sacred places of Solosmastana as mentioned in the Buddhist culture.
The Tissamaharama Maha Vihara is situated in the beautiful city of Tissamaharama near the breathtaking Tissa Water Tank. King Kawantissa built this pagoda in the shape of a water bubble. King Kawantissa was the father of the great King Dutugemmunu. The “Tissamaharama Vansa” which is a chronicle which provides a detailed description of the chaitiya specifies that it was the site which had a presence of 12,000 Arahants that king Kavantissa decided to build the Tissamaharama Chaitiya.
