Pothgul Viharaya

Hansika Kuruppuarachchi - Google

An ancient library built in the 12th-century by the Great King Parakramabahu I, Pothgul Viharaya is an unusual structure for its dagoba-like building surrounded by thick hollow brick walls. It was believed that this building was used to store the ancient sacred Buddhist manuscripts.

The Pothgul Viharaya is just about hundred meters away from the Parakramabahu Statue. The library is built on raised-up grounds with four levels. Notice the symmetrically cut stone door frames and remains of the limestone plastered inner walls. Surrounding the main building are four smaller dagobas, which forms a quincunx arrangement with five objects and one being in the center of a square. The quincunx formation of the dagobas and the main building could also be an astrological representation relating to zodiac signs.