The best stupas to visit in Sri Lanka

A stupa is a dome-shaped monument built over relics of the Buddha or of revered monks, or to mark a sacred place. In Sri Lanka it is usually called a dagoba or chaitya. The shape is symbolic: a platform, a bell or bubble dome, a square box called the hatares kotuwa and a tall spire.

Pilgrims walk around a stupa clockwise, offering flowers, lamps and incense on the altars at its base. On full moon days, called Poya, the terraces fill with people dressed in white, chanting and meditating. Visiting at that time is moving, though busy.

Sri Lanka's earliest stupas date from the third century BC, after Buddhism arrived from India. Many were enlarged over centuries, and several were restored in the twentieth century, so their gleaming white plaster can hide very old brick.

Anuradhapura has the greatest group of stupas in Sri Lanka. Ruwanwelisaya, gleaming white and ringed by a wall of carved elephants, is the most venerated and most visited, especially at dusk. Thuparamaya, the oldest, is small and elegant, with slender stone pillars that once held a roof around it.

Jetavanaramaya, built of brick in the third and fourth centuries, was once one of the tallest structures in the world, and its sheer mass still astonishes. Abhayagiri, in the forested north of the city, has been restored and stands among the ruins of a great monastery. Mirisawetiya, near the Tissa Wewa, is less visited and peaceful.

Seeing them in one long morning by bicycle, starting at Thuparamaya and finishing at Ruwanwelisaya as pilgrims arrive, is one of the great experiences in Sri Lanka.

Polonnaruwa's two great stupas are Rankoth Vehera, a massive brick dome built in the twelfth century, and Kiri Vehera, whose original plaster has survived remarkably well, giving it a pale, milky colour that matches its name. Both stand among the ruins of the medieval city.

Mihintale, near Anuradhapura, has stupas on its hill, including the Kantaka Chaitya, with fine early carvings, and the Maha Seya at the summit. Dambulla's cave temple and Sigiriya's surroundings have smaller stupas, often with sweeping views.

Medirigiriya's circular relic house, a vatadage that once roofed a small stupa, is one of the most graceful structures in the region.

Mahiyangana, on the Mahaweli river east of Kandy, has a stupa believed to mark the place of the Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka. It is an important pilgrimage site and is often visited on the road between Kandy and the east coast. Seruwila, south of Trincomalee, is an ancient stupa said to hold a relic of the Buddha's forehead bone, standing in quiet countryside.

In the south, the Tissamaharama stupa and its neighbours recall the Ruhuna kingdom, and Kiri Vehera at Kataragama is the Buddhist heart of that multi-faith town. Deegavapi near Ampara, Somawathiya on the Mahaweli flood plains and Nagadeepa on Nainativu island are other sacred stupas in the east and north.

Lankan Stays & Trails often builds in one of these quieter stupas on longer routes, where they break a long drive and show the faith outside the famous sites.

Kalutara's large white stupa, beside the bridge on the Galle road, is unusual because it is hollow: visitors can walk inside and see paintings around the inner wall. Drivers often stop to make an offering for safe travel.

The Japanese Peace Pagoda on Rumassala hill near Galle, built in the twentieth century, gives views over Unawatuna and the fort. Gangaramaya in Colombo, with its eclectic collection, has stupas of many styles.

These are easy stops on the coastal route and give a sense of how stupa building continues today.

Wear light, modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees; white is ideal. Remove shoes and hats before stepping onto the terrace, and carry socks, as the stone can burn by midday. Walk clockwise, keep your voice low and never climb on any part of the structure.

Early morning and late afternoon are the best times, for cooler stone and for the light on the white domes. On Poya days, expect crowds and a festive atmosphere. Photography is generally allowed outside, but never pose with your back to a Buddha image.