Situated between the Ruwanweli Maha Seya and the Sri Maha Bodhiya in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, Lovamahapaya — also known as the Brazen Palace — was one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements of ancient Sri Lanka.
Built by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BCE, the Lovamahapaya was a massive nine-storey structure said to have contained 1,000 rooms, 1,600 stone pillars, and a roof made of bronze tiles — which gave rise to its name, “Lowa Maha Paya” (The Great Copper Roofed Mansion). It served as a residential and administrative complex for Buddhist monks, reflecting the grandeur of the Anuradhapura civilization.
Although the original structure was destroyed and rebuilt several times, the rows of stone pillars that remain today still evoke its former magnificence. The site continues to be revered as a sacred part of the Maha Vihara monastic complex.
Lovamahapaya stands as a symbol of the technological genius, devotion, and prosperity of ancient Sri Lanka — a marvel of engineering and spirituality that once glittered under the sun of the Anuradhapura kingdom.
