Architecture in Sri Lanka

Architecture in Sri Lanka is closely based on religious beliefs like most other forms of Sri Lankan arts. Traditionally, Indian, East Asian as well as European and Asian styles architecture have been the most significant forms of foreign influence  on Sri Lankan architecture. And undoubtedly, Buddhism has had a significant influence on Sri Lankan architecture.

Buddhist architecture in Sri Lanka ranges from cave temples, stupas, meditation houses, skyscrapers, palaces, pools, public halls and houses.

The earliest evidence of cave temples are found in the temple complexes of Mihintale. A unique feature in these caves was the use of a drip ledge carved along the top edge of the rock ceiling which stopped rain water running into the cave. 

Cave complexes of Dambulla and Situlpahuwa contained 80 caves each, The Kaludiya Pokuna, Mihintale cave temple is constructed with brick walls, granite window openings, and ceilings. The Gal vihara, Polonnaruwa and the cave temples of Dambulla were initially constructed as cave temples, later on the cave temples were converted to image houses.

 

One of the most dominant characters of Buddhist architecture is the dagoba (stupa) dotting everywhere on the Island.

The dagobas or stupas of Sri Lanka are significant to the architectural and engineering development in the island, stupas designed and constructed in Sri Lanka are the largest brick structures known to the pre-modern world.

In a shape of dome, often painted in white, the dagoba enshrines the Buddha's relics such as hair and tooth. The early simple shape of the dagoba developed to six significant shapes that can be seen nowadays: bubble shape, bell shape, pot shape, the heap of paddy shape, and amalaka shape.

Jetavanaramaya at the time of its completion was the largest stupa constructed in any part of the world at 122 m in height. Jetavanaramaya was also the third tallest building in the ancient world, Abhayagiri Dagaba (370 ft) and Ruwanwelisaya (300 ft) were also significant constructions of the ancient world.

The vatadage is also predominant architectural heritage of Buddhism in Sri Lanka; it is a circular relic house enclosing a small with wooden roof and Buddha images on the four cardinal directions.

The brick shrine with vaulted roof, as seen at Thuparama, Lankatilaka and Tivanka Pilimage, is also considered unique to Sri Lanka. 

A nine-storied Lovamahapaya from the 3rd-century was their earliest skyscraper. The ruins show the 49 rows of stone pillars which would have had 1000 rooms and 100 windows.  ​It had an exposed wooden frame supported on stone pillars. It was plastered in white, with shining copper roof tiles and a pinnacle at its apex. It had lightning conductors or chumbakam made of amber and tourmaline. Its rafters  rose to a height of 162 feet (49 m) and had approximately 179,316 square feet (16,659 m2) of floor space. It could seat 9000 monks.

The construction of meditation houses was a perfection of Sinhalese architecture. It shows the sophisticated knowledge of symmetry and geometry in its planning. 

Traces of hospital architecture are seen at Mihintale and Polonnaruwa, whose plans can be seen in the National Museum, Colombo. Ancient houses were made of brick, stone and lime mortar, with tiled roofs. Key, locks, hinges were seen in the doors and windows. Smaller kitchens, paddy storage rooms and usage of toilets can be spotted.

Kuttam Pokuna in Polonnaruwa provides one of the best examples of the construction of a royal bath. Other magnificent pool designs in Anuradhapura era such as “Twin Ponds” Kuttam Pokuna, “lotus Pond” Nelum pokuna, “hot water pond” janthagara Pokona, ath Pokuna-built for use of elephants and “black water pool” Kaludiya Pokuna are significant. Also there are significant series of ponds and pools which contains water fountains at the Sigiriya citadel, which marvels the hydro engineering in the ancient Sri Lanka.

Since Sri Lanka has been occupied by three generations of colonization, beginning with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and finally the British, the architecture in Sri Lanka has been developed and influenced by those three culture though the course of time.   

The legacy form the Portuguese is the tiled-roof building with its verandah, the Catholic churches as well as the forts. 

Under the Dutch rule, the Portuguese forts were changed into Dutch style; the historic fort in Galle is excellent one of the Dutch legacy. The British followed the tradition by changing also the Dutch forts into their clerical and secular architectural styles. The building in the hill stations such as Nuwara Eliya is one of the dominant British legacies.

The 1960s, 1970s, 1980s is known as a period of tropical modernism. In this period, the architectural style by Geoferry Bawa is of great significance.