This "Milk-White" stupa is named after its (formerly) white plaster coat, now considerably faded, that was still well-preserved as late as the 19th century, when the stupa was cleared out of the jungle. Early stupas were plastered white, as of course are the modern ones today. Kirivihara is thought to have been built by a queen of Parakramabahu, and is still important today as one of the best-preserved medieval stupas in Sri Lanka.