Re-Inventing the Center: Urban Memory, Political Travel and the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania

This study highlights the significance of urban stasis and continuity in shaping the physical and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka's sacred cities, particularly Anuradhapura. It reveals how periods of continuous habitation, such as those in Anuradhapura (4 BCE - 11 ACE) and Polonnaruwa (11–13 ACE), led to the accumulation of monumental structures like stupas, palace complexes, hospitals, and reservoirs, which are now preserved by UNESCO. The research spatializes political geography and interprets urban design as a visual or cartographical text, influenced by religio-political tropes such as the mandala. It also traces the evolution of these cities through periods of abandonment due to invasion or drought, culminating in the last indigenous capital at Senkadagala (Kandy). The study employs historical analysis and spatial interpretation to understand the longevity and cultural significance of these urban landscapes.

(Ed.). (2016). Re-Inventing the Center: Urban Memory, Political Travel and the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania. Landscapes of Mobility, 123–150. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315591421-13