Jetavanaramaya megastructure still standing after 1,700 years

Jetavanaramaya in Anuradhapura was completed around 301 CE using an estimated 93.3 million baked mud bricks and originally rose to about 122 meters; today it stands roughly 71 meters and remains the largest brick structure by volume.

Jetavanaramaya is a vast ancient stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, that remains visible today. It was completed around 301 CE and originally rose to about 122 meters. Built from an estimated 93.3 million baked mud bricks, the stupa formed the focus of the Jetavana Vihara monastic complex. After centuries of collapse, abandonment and later restoration, the structure now measures roughly 71 meters. What is known: - The stupa was completed around 301 CE using an estimated 93.3 million baked mud bricks. - Its original height is reported at about 122 meters; its current height is roughly 71 meters. - Jetavanaramaya is part of the Jetavana Vihara complex, which housed hundreds of monks and oriented its buildings toward the stupa. - Archaeological finds include reliquary caskets and gold panels inscribed with sections of the Prajñāpāramitā sutra, suggesting Mahayana links. - Construction relied on large-scale brick production; historical accounts mention use of captive labour and likely use of elephants and bullock carts for transport. - The monument has a long restoration history, including a major renovation in the 12th century and more recent work in which cement was applied to outer layers. Summary: Jetavanaramaya illustrates the scale of ancient Sri Lankan engineering, religious practice and organized labour and remains an important archaeological and sacred site in Anuradhapura. It is noted for being the largest brick structure by volume and for material evidence linking it to broader Mahayana networks. Undetermined at this time.