HOA 3 - Sri Lanka Architecture

Sinhala

ancient name

Sri Lanka

- Large island in the Indian Ocean and located at the southern tip of India
- Center of international trade due to its strategic position on the west to east sea routes
and its harbors.
- Main aspects of the society - language, caste, family structure are regional variants of
Indian civilization.
- Enhance architectural effects - water tanks/reservoir were built around rock outcrops
- Cities, palaces and temples were constructed on hills and high rocks.

Divided into three climatic zones:

1. Dry hot zone in the north and east
2. Central wet region
3. Low-lying hot wet zone in the south and southwest

Dry hot zone in the north and east

Early civilization vast irrigation tanks were built to conserve rain water

Central wet region

cool and invigorating

Low-lying hot wet zone in the south and southwest

- Heavy rainfall and high humidity
- Buildings were solid-walled with wide projecting eaves and verandahs and steep pitched roofs (rain and sun)

Geological (Materials) Influences:

1. Wet Areas/Districts:
- Stones (Granite, limestone, laterite and sandstone)
- Clay for bricks, roof tiles and pottery - widely used in the west districts
- Soft and hardwood timber, bamboo, grasses, for thatch and mats, and
coconut trees
2. Dry Areas:
- Teak, satin and other beautiful hardwoods

Religious Influences:

- Known as Dharma-Dipa, the island of the Buddhist doctrine.
- Introduced by the missionary son of Ashoka, Mahinda Thera in the reign of King
Devanampiyatissa 3rd c. BC.

Sacred Bodhi Tree

planted in Anuradhapura by Sanghamitta Thera (daughter)
considered as one of the oldest trees in the world.

Other religions:

a. Hinduism - Tamils
b. Moslem - (Arabs) Moors and Malayan settlers
c. Christianity - introduced by the European colonizers
State patronage gave Buddhism a heightened political importance.

Anuradhapura Period (4th c BC - 10th c AD)

- First capital
- Strategically situated with major ports in the northwest and northeast and surrounded by irrigable and fertile land.
- One of the most progressive centers of political power and urban life in South Asia - popular as ritual and administrative center.

Sinhalese King Kassapa I (6th c.)

- Created a city in a rock hill.
- Withstood many invasions and counter invaded South India.
- Significant in Hindu legend as the fabled capital of the Asura King Ravana in the Ramayana

Sigiraya

a city in a rock hill

Polonnaruwa Period ( 11th - 13 c AD)

- Invaded and occupied by Cholan (South India).
- Capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070
AD to reunite the country.
- Also called as Jananathamangalam during the short Chola reign.
- City was built by King Parakrama Bahu "The Great" (12th c.).
- Important kings - King Wijayabahu I, King Maha Parakramabahu I and King
Nissankamalla,
- Palaces, monasteries, temples, parks, lakes and irrigation works
- Series of impermanent settlements (13th -15th c.) - Yapahuwa,
Dambadeniya, Kotte

Kandyan Period (15th - 19th c AD)

Divided into several kingdoms with its capital at Kandy (Kandenuwara - hill
city).
- Maritime provinces were occupied by:
o Portuguese - 16th c.
o Dutch - 17th c.
Both introduced Renaissance and Baroque
o British - succeeded in annexing the Kandyan kingdom in 1815 until
1947 (Independence)
Colonial Georgian and Colonial Classic

Sinhalese

Claim to be the earliest colonizers of Sri Lanka, first settling in the dry
north-central regions as early as 500 BC.

Hydraulic engineering

construction of water tanks (reservoirs) and irrigation canals.

Anuradhapura Period (4th c BC - 10th c AD)

- Earliest remains are the natural rock chambers built for the hermits.
- The king lived in a palace with 1,000 rooms in the center of the city.
- Pillars have significant place

Remarkable Buddhist City

-model of planning with three-lined roads, palaces, parks,
monasteries, stupas, hostels and hospitals, separate cemeteries for high and low
castes. A water supply was assured by the construction of reservoirs.

Dagaba/Dagoba/Stupa

- tooth relic chamber
- Places to store the ashes of monks who were cremated.

Parts of a Buddhist Monastery:

1. Temple
2. Dagaba/Dagoba (Stupa) focal point of the monastery
3. Bhodi-ghara - shrine enclosing a sacred Bodhi tree
4. Ceremonial, meditation and preaching halls
5. Court
6. Priory
7. Ponds and bathing places for drinking and ablution.

Thuparama Dagaba (3rd c BC.)

- Oldest existing structure
- Solid brickwork tumuli, plastered white
- Originally a paddy-heap (cone-shaped) but was converted into a bell-shape when
restored in 1842.
- 4 concentric rows of receding height, monolithic, square to octagonal, stone pillars
around.

Stupa shapes:

1. Dhanyakara (Paddy heap shape)
2. Ghantakara (Bell Shape)
3. Bubblakara (Bubble shape)
4. Ghatakara (Pot shape)
5. Amalaka
6. Padmakara

Ruwanveliseya Dagaba (2nd c BC.)

- Known as White Dagoba
- Also called Maha Thupa or Great Stupa
- Constructed in the 2nd c. BC., by Emperor Dutugamunu.
- Considered the greatest of the dagobas with a l diameter of 90 m. and originally more
than 92 m. high.
- Ranks 2nd to the 8 sites in Anuradhapura sacred to the Sri Lankan Buddhists.
- Bubble-shape solid brick dome in the center of 2 spacious square terraces, one above the other with the sides facing the cardinal points with pillared portico and step
on one side of the lower terrace

Abhayagiri Dagaba

- Founded as a monastery, about 88 BC. by Sinhalese King Vattagamini.
- Monumental structure 15 m. higher than St. Paul's Cathedral, and containing an
amount of solid masonry sufficient to build 8,000 houses large enough to
accommodate 40,000
- Limestone statue of Samadhi Buddha depicted in the serene state of Samadhi, or
deep meditation and is considered to be one of the best examples in the area.

Kuttam Pokuna (Pair of Ponds/Twin Tanks)

- Used as ritual baths by the monks
Hierarchy among monks (senior to junior) determined in what order they were to bathe. The youngest were only allowed to dip their toes in while
sitting on the side.
- Granite steps go to the bottom of the pond.

Jetavanarama

- Biggest dagoba in the world constructed by heretic King Mahasena.
- 3rd tallest building in the ancient world.
- Over 120 m. in height and has a diameter of 112 m. The foundations are 9 m. deep
and it needed bricks that could bear the load of 368 pounds.
- Estimated to have housed about 3000 monks.

Sigiraya ( 6th c. AD.)

- Also known as the Lion Rock
- Rising 200 m. from the plain Sigiraya - most remarkable of all of Sri Lanka's former
cities
- Palace was build surrounded by boulders and water gardens with 1200 steps.
- Series of paintings of women underneath the ruins of a magnificent palace on the top
of an enormous rock.

Monastery of Mihintale (2nd c. BC)

- Stands on a hill top 300 m.
- Mahinda Thera, Emperor Asoka's son preached to the court in 3rd c.
- Large number of large steps were constructed to climb Mihintale. Stairway has 1840 steps made of granite, leading to the summit.
- King Devanampiyatissa constructed a vihara and 68 caves.
- At the foot of the mountain are ruins of a hospital, medical bath (or stone canoe in which patients were immersed in medicinal oil).

Polonnaruwa Period ( 11th - 13 c AD)

- Expansion of the temple to enshrine colossal Buddha images with interior corridors for precession
- Development of a STUPA sheltered by a roof and as is a pillared building around a small STUPA provided with 4 entrances and 4 Buddha images placed at the cardinal points.
- Mihintale and Anuradhapura (3rd c.
BC.)
- Introduction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
- More developed forms - Medirigiriya (8th c.) and Polonnaruva (12th c.), both considered as gems of architectural design.

Monastery

regarded as cradle of Sinhalese Buddhism

Alahana Monastery, Pollonaruwa (12th c.)

Example of Sinhalese planning

Lankatilleke Temple

- Red brick is 52 m long and 20 m. high, lime plastered with paintings.
- With a shrine, an antechamber in an opening in a wall, a vestibule and porch.
- Entrance is flanked by two solid polygonal turrets with the dwarapalas (door keepers) in high relief and carved stone step with guard stones.
- Contains a brick and stucco Buddha 12 m. high.

Gal Vihara Rock Temple (12th c.)

- Located north of Alahana monastery in a forest setting.
- Supreme achievement of Celylon's sculptors.
- Four colossal Buddha figures standing, seated and recumbent - carved out of rock,
originally enclosed to form a shrine.

Great Quadrangle Complex, Alahana

- Contains the Golpota
- Lata Mandapa - a exquisitely baroque pavilion for hearing the chanting of sacred texts
and worship of curved leaf ornament and capitals in the form of opening bud.

Golpota

beautiful composed stone slab, upon which the acts of King
Nissanka Malla are inscribed with a carved border of sacred geese and curved
sunken panel of twin elephants.

Sutiyaghara Cetiya, Dadigama

- Western central province
- Built to commemorate the birthplace of King Parakrama Bahu the Great.

Kandyan Period (15th -19th c AD.)

- Kandy, old city hill
- Architecture of wood
- Anuradhapura traditional framed structure of pillars and beams is continued but in timber
richly carved with traditional motifs.
- Roofs are high-pitched with wide eaves, slightly curved, finished with small flat (shingle) terracotta tiles and eaves tiles.

Building types during Kandyan period

1. Monasteries with temples
2. Ambalamas - rest houses for travellers
3. Parts of a royal palace
4. Ancilliary buildings
5. Audience Hall
6. Queen' bathing pavillion
7. Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic)

The Sacred Relic of the Tooth

- Venerated in Sri Lanka as a relic of the founder, a symbolic representation of the
living Buddha.
- Hemamali and her husband secretly transported the relic in her hair from India to Sri
Lanka.

Decorative artwork is important with the use of ancient motifs in:

- Windows with lacquered wood bars
- Carved timber doorways
- Ornamental metalwork door furniture
- Painted walls
- Terracotta bas relief wall-plaques
- Eaves tiles

Latter buildings European influences are evident:

- Modified Doric columns
- True semi-circular arches
- Half round Roman or Spanish roof tiles

Embekke Temple (14th c.)

- Prototype of more important later buildings in Kandayan timber architectural style.

Royal Palace, Kandy (16th - 19th c.)

- Remaining parts - Queen's Palace (museum) and the Audience Hall of Kandyan wood construction.

Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth (16th c., restored in the late 1700s)

- Adjacent to the royal palace group
- Oldest part which stands in the inner courtyard on high oblong stone plinth
(base/platform), carrying stone pillars with carved wood capitals which support the
carved wood beams of the upper floor.
- Houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha.