This is known by many names such as s Maha Seya,  Ruwanweli, Swarnamali, Ratna mali, Hemamali etc. It is considered as the most sacred of the Dagabas in Sri Lanka.  It is the work  Dutu Gemunu ( 161 – 137 BCE )  considered  as the most pious king amongst the  long line  of Sri Lankan kings. According to the Mhawamsa,  Dutu Genunu could not complete the construction because he fell ill  and was about to die  but his brother  who wanted to console him, covered it with a white cloth and  showed it to him  as if  the construction was complete. So Dutugemunu died happily thinking that he had completed the construction of this dagaba but it was his brother Saddha Tissa who really completed the work his brother had begun.  Ruwanweli Seya   had been destroyed and plundered by various  South Indian inavaders. During the reign of King Parakramabahu the Great , he had carried out some renovations to this dagaba. There are two stone statues near the Dagaba; these are considered to be the statues of King DutuGemunu and King Bhatiya. There is also an inscription in Brahmi script close to the statue of King Bhatiya.

Close to the ‘Dolos Mahe Pahana’  ( the lamp that burns through out the twelve months  ) is an inscription of King Nissanka Malla; this inscription  records the various procedure adopted in the repair of dagabas at that time. When one of the ‘Vahalakadas’ was  removed,  they found buried under it various  items of archeological vale. Among those they found were   various ornaments , coins,  tusks, pottery etc.  In one of the Vahalkadas,  we can  atill see some old paintings.