“Pothgul Viharaya” is an ancient temple situated in Polonnaruwa. It is an old library and a monastery in the Polonnaruwa district of Sri Lanka. The ruins of this ancient library date back to the 12th century. The name “Pothgul” means the place where books are kept or book storage.
The layout of this temple is laid on a foundation. In the center of the inner square is a rounded structure. This is probably the main area of book storage. It is made entirely of brick and covers a fairly large area within its confines. It was once part of a monastery and provide shelter to resident monks. It was thought to be a Buddhist library complex where Buddhist writings were studied. “Pothgul Viharya” is situated next to a beautiful lake where tourists can enjoy boating.
There is a circular chamber built out of bricks and it is one of the highlights of this place. There are also four small statues constructed at the four corners of this complex. Today only ruins of them can be observed. By looking at the construction of the site it can be seen that this place has been a Buddhist monastic complex at ancient times.