Phespirit goes to Sri Lanka
tour     February/March 2006

ANCIENT ANURADHAPURA

The vast Jetavana dagoba of Anuradhapura, completed around 300AD, is still the tallest and largest structure anywhere in the world to be made entirely of bricks.

Almost a hundred million bricks went into it over a period of twenty-five years. It is solid to the core. A monumental achievement.

SIGIRIYA SILHOUETTE

Another monumental achievement was the construction of Kassapa's Royal Palace on the summit of Sigiriya Rock, 200m straight up, in seven years between 477 and 485.

Phespirit climbed the steps to the top - his own monumental achievement - only for the battery in his camera to promptly expire.

POLONNARUWA RUINS

This is all that is left of the Royal Palace at Polonnaruwa, built in the 12th century AD.

According to Culavamsa chronicles, written in the 13th century, the palace stood seven storeys high and contained 1000 rooms.

Extremely small rooms, possibly.