Mirisawetiya Dagoba

Mirisawetiya Dagoba is one of eight main places of worship in Anuradhapura. It was built by King Dutugamunu, who reigned in the Kingdom of Anuradhapura from 161 to 137 BC, and belongs to the Mahavihara complex. There are numerous legends regarding the building of the Mirisawetiya Dagoba, but the most popular is that the king once ate a chilli/miris karala without offering it to the monks; therefore, he built this dagoba as an apology. According to the late 19th- century records, its original height was about 61 meters, but after the destruction and reconstruction, the present dagoba is only 59 meters high. One of the most famous features of this dagoba is the western front piece, known as vahalkada, which is said to be a remarkably fine example of early Sinhala art.