A startling rectangular grid of 1,600 granite columns stands between the Ruwanwelisaya and the Sri Maha Bodhi, the last remains of what was once the largest monastic residence in ancient Anuradhapura. The pillars supported a great wooden hall used for ceremonies and ordinations of the Mahavihara order — the founding Buddhist community of Sri Lanka.
The site is best appreciated for its scale and atmosphere. Walking between the columns gives a clear sense of how vast the monastic complex was, and the bare granite contrasts beautifully with the lush green of the surrounding gardens. It sits exactly on the pilgrim route between the two most sacred monuments of the city, so most visitors pass through it.