ANURADHAPURA
Sri Lanka’s first historical capital founded around the 5th century B.C. gives a fascinating glimpse of a well laid-out, metropolis of gigantic Buddhist shrines and monasteries, splendid palaces, pavilions, and parks, bathing ponds and vast reservoirs,. Many of these intriguing places to see in Anuradhapura are masterpieces of architecture, art, sculpture and engineering. This historic locale features an array of Anuradhapura attractions that must be added to your cultural itinerary. Among these are the Thuparama Dagaba, which enshrines a collar-bone relic of the Lord Buddha,; the Isurumuniya Rock Temple, which is a treasure trove of sculptures,; and the 2,200-year-old Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bo Tree), which is the world’s oldest historical tree,. Make sure you also make time to see the the 1st century B.C. Abhayagiri and 3rd century A.D. Jetawana Dagabas (UNESCO World Heritage sites), measuring 380 ft and 400 ft in height, respectively, second in height only to Egypt’s two mightiest pyramids at Giza. Anuradhapura ‘s three main ancient irrigation lakes Tissawewa and Nuwarawewa in the south and Basawakulama in the north nourished its agricultural trade and adorned the capital for nearly two millennia as it does today. Anuradhapura is 220 km north of Colombo.
PLACES TO VISIT
Sri Maha Bodhi
Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba
Thuparama Dagoba
The Ratna Prasada
Aukana Buddha
Isurumuniya Vihara