A pair of finely cut granite bathing pools built for the monks of the Abhayagiri monastery in the 8th or 9th century. The pools — one slightly larger than the other — are connected by a small underground conduit, and water flowed in through a remarkable filtration system of settling tanks designed to remove silt and impurities.
The Kuttam Pokuna are the most photogenic of Anuradhapura's many bathing tanks, and an excellent demonstration of the sophistication of ancient Sri Lankan water engineering. The carved naga (cobra) figures at the entry and the cleanly cut stone steps survive intact. The site is normally peaceful — a good place to rest under the trees between visits to the larger monuments.