The Tampitaviharas of Sri Lanka: Elevated Image-Houses in Buddhist Architecture

The Tampitaviharas of Sri Lanka focuses on one distinctive Buddhist architectural practice from pre-modern Sri Lanka - the construction of Buddha image-houses on elevated wooden platforms supported by stone pillars. As a centre of Buddhism, Sri Lanka has a rich tradition of erecting Buddha image-houses, the origin of which dates to the fifth century. Yet, the tampitavihara tradition only existed from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The tampitavihara is an exceptional type of image-house, not only for its specific timeframe and unique construction technology, but also for its complex architectural conception of the Buddhist worldview and soteriology. This book examines the significant aspects of tampitavihara architecture and documents some of the distinctive examples of tampitavihara with an analysis of their architectural design and symbolic content.