Sights and interesting places of Anuradhapura. Sights of Anuradhapura - old city Buddha from Anuradhapura
We already went to Anuradhapura by bus as usual. The ride takes 3 hours, the cost of 2 tickets is 300 rupees. And, as usual, we were dropped off not at the station, but somewhere in the city. First of all, we wanted to go to the railway station. Until now, we traveled around Lanka by buses. However, now we decided to use the services of Sri Lankan railways. The fact is that the next destination on our trip was Unawatuna. located almost in the very south of the island. By email, the owner of the villa we booked in Unawatuna asked what time we would arrive. We informed that we were already in Sri Lanka and on the appointed day we would arrive from Anuradhapura in the evening. Having learned that we were planning to travel by bus, the hostess expressed great doubts about the success of our idea.
The Anuradhapura-Colombo-Unawatuna distance is not very long by Russian standards, and, in our opinion, is quite surmountable in daylight. But buses in Lanka really are not in a hurry, and the owner of the house, although she was a New Zealander, had lived here for a long time. There is no direct train connection from here to Unawatuna; you need to go through Colombo. We read that in order to get tickets for 1st or 2nd class (some horror stories were written about 3rd class), you need to buy tickets in advance. That’s why we had to go to the station first. We started looking around, trying to get our bearings. A tukker quickly noticed us and offered to take us to the railway station for 100 rupees. We knew that there were two train stations in Anuradhapura, but we didn’t know which one we needed. 100 rupees (40 rubles) is a small amount and, having specified that we needed a station from which we could go to Colombo, we went. At the station we went to the window with the inscription “1st, 2nd class” and asked for two tickets for the day after tomorrow to Colombo in first class. We were told that there are no first-class carriages on any train on this route. And not only for the day we need, but in general. I had to take 2 second class tickets departing the day after tomorrow at 9 am. The cashier took 1,800 rupees from us and gave us a piece of paper perforated along the edges in half A4 format, which indicated the date, time, carriage class and seat numbers C7, C8. We checked with the cashier whether this sign actually meant our seat numbers, and received an affirmative answer. Our mood has improved: it means we won’t have to stand in the aisle and fight for seats.
At the exit from the station, an overweight man in a shirt, sarong and sandals on his bare feet approached us. "Taxi, sir?" - he turned to his husband. Taxi?! Are there really taxis here?! Not a tuk-tuk, but a normal car with a trunk and even air conditioning?! Driving a Tuk in any country is not fun for us. Driving in the heat, inhaling exhaust fumes from passing cars, dust, being frozen by the driver’s pirouettes, and then figuring out why the price was higher than agreed upon is not the most pleasant experience. Taking a taxi is always easier and more comfortable. But so far we have not been able to see a taxi in Sri Lanka, except at the airport. Joyful, we threw our things into the trunk and plunged into the air-conditioned coolness of the car interior. Our hotel was located in a strip between urban development and expanses of rice fields. It was even called Heaven Upon Rice Fields - “Heaven over the rice fields.” That’s why I chose it, I liked it based on the description and reviews. Our driver knew the property we had booked. On the way, he asked about our plans. We replied that today we would like to visit Mihintale and would be happy to do it by car. He literally jumped up on the seat and clapped his hands - he was ready to take us. After unloading our suitcases at the hotel and paying 200 rupees, we asked the driver the price of a trip to Mihintale by car. He quoted the price as 2500 rupees. As we knew from the Internet, the trip should have cost no more than 1,500. In the end, we negotiated until 1,700, agreed on the departure time, we wanted to take a shower and have a snack before leaving the road.
A palm squirrel jumped into our room through the open doors of the balcony.
We wanted to treat her, but she turned out to be so frightened that, after running around the curtain rod and curtains for a minute, she quickly jumped out. From the windows there really is a view of the rice fields and Mount Mihintale, where we planned to go today.
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At the appointed time, a minibus drove into the yard. A completely different person came out and asked if we were going to Mikhintale. We replied that we were indeed going to Mihintale, but had already agreed with another driver. In response, he told us that Abi (the name that the previous driver wrote to us) is his brother, and that he is currently busy. We approached the minibus and saw a guy and a girl inside. In response to our question, the driver said that they were also going to Mihintale. But we didn’t agree that way! We were going to travel on our own, and not in the company of strangers, and we did not want to either adapt to someone ourselves or force someone to adapt to us. We resolutely turned back. The driver trotted behind us, assuring us that we would not interfere with each other at all. Then he said that he would give a discount of up to 1,500 rupees - “only for you.” It was 16 o'clock, the hotel owner said that he could, if necessary, organize a tuk-tuk for us. But a tuk-tuk, not a car. Time was more valuable now, and I didn’t want to waste it looking for another car. We agreed.
The couple in the minibus turned out to be from the Czech Republic. When asked which language they prefer to communicate in - English or Russian - they confidently chose Russian. The guy was from Karlovy Vary (probably the most “Russian” Czech city), understood Russian tolerably and, although choosing his words slowly and carefully, spoke it quite well. He said that they came from Colombo, where they had been for two days, and that Colombo was a boring and uninteresting city with absolutely nothing to do. We shared our impressions.
Now about Mihintal. It is located just 12 kilometers from Anuradhapura. A very atmospheric place, we recommend it as a must see. There have been statements that Mihintale is even more interesting than Anuradhapura itself. It's hard to compare, but we really liked this place. It is famous for the fact that it was from here that Buddhism began to spread across the island; the first Buddhist teacher in Sri Lanka, Mahinda, preached here. The complex includes three hills: Mango Plateau (Ambastala), Royal Hill (Rajagiri), Elephant Mountain (Anaikutti). The climb to Mount Mihintale is quite difficult: the height of the mountain is 305 meters and to get to the top you need to overcome 1840 steps.
But by transport you can drive up to the upper parking area, which will shorten the journey by half, although a couple of, as we read, less interesting sights will remain unexamined. But almost next to the parking lot there are 68 caves, the ruins of Medamaluva, and the Mango Plateau.
After getting out of the car, we parted with our fellow travelers, without agreeing on when we would return to the car. We intended to take our time and examine everything we had planned.
It’s better to go up here early in the morning, before it’s too hot, or after the midday heat, as we did. Be sure to stock up on water and take socks with you (you will have to walk around the entire complex, as always in Lanka, without shoes). We did not try to explore all the ruins here. Apart from the Mango Plateau (tickets for two - 1000 rupees), the rest of the attractions of Mihintale are accessible for free, but are located quite far from each other.
Directly from the upper parking area, a narrow staircase leads to the right to the Kantaka Chetya Stupa (2nd century BC), which is one of the oldest structures in Lanka.
To the southwest of Kantak Chetya are piles of huge boulders, followed by a ridge of 68 caves.
A little higher up the stairs and to the side is Cobra Pond, a natural reservoir filled with rainwater. The edges of the Pond are lined with stones, and an image of a five-headed cobra with an open hood is carved on the rock. According to legend, Mahinda bathed here. But its main value was as a source for the irrigation system of the entire Mihintale complex.
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The mango plateau is the place where the main attractions of Mihintale are concentrated. It is a platform in the center of which the Ambasthala Dagoba Stupa is installed; the columns around previously supported the now unpreserved roof of the vata-da-ge (in Sinhala - “round house of relics”)
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monkeys feast on lotuses on the altar.
Next to the stupa there is a rounded piece of rough stone embedded in a platform - the place where King Devanampiya Tissa first met Mahinda. The stone is protected by a fence and roof and strewn with money donated by believers.
behind rises the main hill of Mihintale - Aradhana Gala, from which Mahinda read his sermons
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you need to climb up the carved steps and then up the iron ladder. There are wonderful views from there
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on the left is a statue of Buddha (Buddha Statue), which is of no historical value, but adds appropriate color to the surrounding environment
on the right is the white stupa of Maha Seya (Mahaseya Dagoba) - the largest in Mihintala, its construction belongs to King Mahadathika Mahanaga (early 1st century). According to legend, Buddha's hair is immured in it.
view from the platform next to the stupa
bodhi tree
Sri Lanka's endemic birds feast on candle wicks without any reverence
pond with fish and turtles
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Mahindu Stupa (Mihindu Seya) (on the map), where the ashes of Mahindu himself are kept.
If you follow the path between Ambastala Stupa and Aradhana Gala, you can go to Mahinda's Cave, where he lived and meditated. There you can see the so-called Mahinda bed - a flat rock slab.
Mihintale is imbued with some kind of goodness and peace. Is this somehow connected with Buddhism (in the middle between the stupas there is a small active temple) or simply is natural place strength - I don’t know. But from the visit I was left with a feeling of mental strength and health. We were very pleased with our visit.
It took us about two hours to leisurely explore everything, but again, we did not explore the numerous ruins below the parking area. In general, we are of the opinion that you should not get too tired and make extra efforts when sightseeing. A museum or an archaeological complex - after 3 hours fatigue and dullness of perception sets in, and then the effect and impressions are not at all the same. It's always better to have too little than too much, in my opinion.
When we returned to the minibus, it turned out that the Czechs were already there. Their bored look said that they had obviously been waiting for us for more than five minutes. It turned out to be half an hour. We were a little uncomfortable, but we couldn’t refuse to watch everything we wanted in a way that was comfortable for us... This is the result of a joint trip of different people. True, then the guy, apologizing, asked us to allow the driver to first take them to where they could buy beer, and only then to the hotel. We gladly agreed, compensating them for their waiting time.
We had dinner booked at our hotel, because judging by the reviews, it’s better not to take risks and eat at your hotel. Moreover, it cost 600 rupees per person, everything was very tasty (curry with another variety of sauces). In general, we really liked the hotel and the owners (a young family). I have a review on my booking account
In the evening, we asked the hotel owner to call our friend Abi and order a car for us to explore Anuradhapura. The objects are located far from each other, and the best way to explore the complex, especially in the heat, is by transport.
In the morning, at the appointed time, a minibus drove into the courtyard of our hotel - again different - not the same as yesterday. The driver was different. Young guy. From a conversation with him, it turned out that he had come for us, and Abi was his uncle. In general, a family clan. This time there were no fellow travelers, we could comfortably inspect everything that was interesting to us, each time cooling off in the saving air-conditioned atmosphere of the car after the next object under the scorching sun.
We had a printout of the Anuradhapura tourist attractions map. At the beginning of the trip, we considered the Abhayagiri monastery complex as an object to visit (one ticket costs 30 dollars). But they have already decided to refrain from examining it for now, or, in any case, to leave it for last. The driver, when asked whether it was worth going to Abhayagiri, shrugged his shoulders doubtfully and said that “Abhayagiri is not very important.” In addition, the following opinion was found on the Internet: “Many tourists refuse to buy a ticket at all, go around the sights on their own, without entering the territory of Abhayagiri, visiting only free ones. Paid and free dagobas are generally monotonous, and you will most likely get bored after the third or fourth.”
Anuradhapura is the first ancient capital of the Sinhalese kingdom. The main tourist sites in the city are the stupas. Some of them are simply gigantic. One of them is brick Jetavana. It is really just huge, visible from afar. It is the tallest dagoba in the world, built of brick (originally 122 m, 3rd century). Buddha's belt is supposedly walled inside.
The remaining stupas are also quite interesting and completely free. I especially liked it Ruwanwelisia. The most revered of all other stupas, because it contains the most relics.
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The stupa is located on a platform decorated with bas-reliefs of more than a hundred elephants (elephants participated in the construction of the dagobah).
Around the stupa there are: a sanctuary with 5 Buddha statues and frescoes,
4 mini-dagobas, a dagobah model in a glass cube and a sculpture of King Dutugemunu.
The height of the stupa is 92 m, diameter 90. Almost nothing remains of the original appearance. We even saw regular restoration work, in which both monks and the local population participated.
Thuparama Stupa(Thuparama Dagoba) is the very first stupa in Sri Lanka, dedicated to the emergence of Buddhism.
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Buddha's collarbone is walled up in the Stupa, and there are remains of destroyed buildings of the old city around.
Anuradhapura from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Anuradhapura.
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Anuradhapura is administrative center North Central Province of Sri Lanka and one of the ancient cities island of Ceylon. For a long time, Anaradhapura, located in a strategically important place - at the intersection of two port areas - and hidden in the depths of the jungle, was the capital of the state - until 1017, when the city was seriously destroyed by invaders from South India and abandoned by its inhabitants.
For almost a thousand years the city stood in desolation, and only in the 19th century an English hunter accidentally came across it in the jungle.
Today, Anuradhapura has largely been restored and is divided into two parts: the Old Town, which is a non-residential conservation area, and New town, where the entire population of Anuradhapura lives (about 50,000 people) and there is a tourist area with hotels, restaurants and shops.
The city is quite far from coastline, therefore, tourists to Anuradhapura are primarily attracted to the world-famous cultural and historical monuments of Sri Lanka, included in the List World Heritage UNESCO.
How to get there
Anuradhapura is located a little over 200 kilometers from the capital of the island - Colombo. You can get to the city by train (there are two railway stations here), as well as by bus in 5 hours (it arrives at the bus station in the New Town) or by rented car along the A9 highway in 4 hours.
Search for flights to Colombo (the nearest airport to Anuradhapura)
Transport
Buses and tuk-tuks run around the New Town, but there is little need for them - this small area can be easily walked from end to end in half an hour. But the security zone on the other side of the Malvathu Oya River is very large in area - and you can’t get by without a tuk-tuk. However, in many places in the Old Town, the movement of any transport, even tuk-tuks, is prohibited.
Popular hotels in Anuradhapura
Excursions, activities and attractions of Anuradhapura
As mentioned above, most tourists come to see the monuments of the Old Town. Among them are the so-called dagobas (Buddhist religious buildings designed to store relics) Thumaparama, Ruanveli with the famous stone statues of Buddha, Jetavanarama, considered one of the tallest brick structures in the Ancient world, as well as the statue of Buddha Aukana and the sacred Bodhi tree, considered the oldest of famous trees, with a Mahabodhi temple built around it. And this is only a small part of the monuments that await travelers in the Old Town of Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura
In the New Town there are many hotels, restaurants and shops, and there is also a market where you can buy souvenirs.
It is worth remembering: although alcohol is sold in establishments aimed at tourists, public drinking of alcoholic beverages is not encouraged in Sri Lanka.
- Where to stay: on one of high mountain resorts Ceylon, where even in colonial times the British took refuge from the heat, namely in Kandy or Nuwara Eliya. In addition, you can stay in the capital of the country
And having gained strength, we had to move to Anuradhapura - ancient capital Sri Lanka. In terms of the number of attractions, Anuradhapura ranks first in Sri Lanka and we planned to spend a couple of days there, but everything happened completely differently...
How to get from Negombo to Anuradhapura
There seem to be no direct buses from Negombo to Anuradhapura, so you need to first get to Kurunegala and then change to a bus to Anuradhapura. At 6 o'clock in the morning we got up, packed our things, had a snack, paid the owners of the guesthouse and caught a passing tukker, with whom we agreed to take us to the bus station for 250 rupees. At the bus station, they kindly told us the number of the required bus, we threw our bags next to the driver's seat and began to wait for departure.
Transport in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has excellent development transport connection between cities, and there are options of different budgets and speeds. Most cheap option ride on old red buses, but they stop at every stop and drive very slowly, literally squeezing the last remaining strength out of their million-dollar engines. The second option, which we used most often, is the same large buses, but usually white. They rush from station to station at full speed. This is driving on the edge and I don’t understand how they are still alive. At the beginning of each trip, buses stop near small houses with Buddha figures. There the controller leaves a small amount as a donation and takes some white powder, smears it on his forehead, the driver’s forehead and the steering wheel of the bus. Perhaps this is the secret of survival. Or maybe in another way - the driver and the controller chew betel nut all the way. These are the leaves of a local plant that are sold on every corner and, according to Sri Lankans, are an excellent tonic. It causes their teeth to rot and their eyes to become glassy, but they still chew everything. The third option is to use the services of a high-speed minibus called “express”. These are minibuses with only seats, they travel quickly, but the price is higher. On all buses, the controller accepts payment and even issues tickets. The driver just turns the steering wheel. Also, some people use tuk-tuks to move between cities, but this, in my opinion, is a mockery. They drive slowly, and the sound of the roar of the engine can drive you crazy on long journeys.
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Kurunegala
To get to Kurunegala, we took the services of a large white bus and sat behind the driver. Usually these places are reserved for monks, but tourists are often put there too. In 2.5 hours and 190 rupees for two, we reached the Kurunegala bus station. There we asked the bus drivers, quickly found a bus to Anuradhapura and at 9 o'clock we were already driving in the direction we needed. The Kurunegala-Anuradhapura fare is 140 rupees per person (big white bus). At 11.30 we were at the Anuradhapura bus station. It is worth noting that Anuradhapura has two stations, a new one and an old one. First the bus pulls into a new one, which looks like an ordinary one. bus stop with a bunch of buses, and then goes to the old one, everything is more organized there, platforms and all that. Long-distance buses mainly depart from the old station.
Anuradhapura
Near the old bus station, we turned to tukers with a question about housing. I wanted to find something around 1500 rupees per night. While the tukers were arguing among themselves, a man drove up on a scooter and offered to check into his home guesthouse for 1,200 rupees. We agreed to go look at his home. The owner of the guest house offered to use the services of one of the tukers. Here we made a mistake and did not agree on the price for the tuk-tuk in advance, we relied on a peasant. As a result, having reached the guest house that we liked, the tukker said that there was no need for money for delivery and began to offer his services in organizing a tour of Anuradhapura and selling tickets, which are not needed anywhere except the Insurmuniya Temple. We refused his services and he asked for 400 rupees for delivery to the guesthouse, which is twice the expected price for a pack. In response to objections, he began to cry that Sri Lanka is from e resin country, wi ar pur people and wi have no mani. The usual story is shorter. They paid him 300 so that he would fall behind, having learned a lesson for the future - always agree on the price in advance. By the way, when agreeing on the price in guesthouses, also always ask if there are any additional taxes or fees, otherwise it may turn out to be a surprise later.
Tuker left, the owner said that Buddha would punish him for such prices. And we checked in, asked him where we could eat, what the weather was like and how much time it would take to visit all the main attractions. During the conversation, a friendly Sri Lankan offered us a tour of all the temples and dagobas for 4,000 rupees for two. For this money he promised a tuk-tuk, his guide services and the notorious “tickets”. Without thinking twice, they agreed, the price is not that high, but there is an opportunity to quickly see everything without bothering with the question of how to get to this or that place. We agreed on 4 pm and went to look for an eatery.
The weather was getting worse. In general, it rains with constant frequency in the center of the country. On the way from the guesthouse we met a lot of different animals - a langur, a palm squirrel and some kind of heron.
We were heading to the Food City supermarket, which we noticed while traveling by tuk to the guest house. It was not far and we reached it on foot. A little further down the road there was a new bus station. Overall our location was very convenient. We bought groceries for the evening at the market, and on the second floor we ate a hearty meal of fried fish at a Chinese restaurant. Portions are huge, prices are bargain. For 1100 rupees we ate our fill. While they were eating, a heavy tropical downpour began outside, which ended as suddenly as it had begun.
We returned exactly at 4 o'clock, and a tuk-tuk hired by the owner was already waiting for us in the courtyard of the guest house. The weather seemed to have cleared and we went to see the city.
Sights of Anuradhapura
The first point of our excursion was a Hindu temple. It was not included in our route, but as we drove past, we asked to stop and take a look. In the temple, by a happy coincidence, some kind of purification ceremony was carried out. A family of parishioners sat on the floor, while ministers walked around them with incense and sang songs. Our guide prayed, put white dots on our foreheads and told us about different Hindu gods. It was quite interesting.
Vessagiriya
Next we went to the caves of the Vessagiriya monastery. This is a complex of several huge boulders and caves underneath them. The monks hid here from the rain and meditated. There are ancient inscriptions everywhere on the walls. And at the top there is an amazing view of the surrounding area, everything is green and the spiers of various dagobas are everywhere. We immediately spotted several macaques and saw a flying peacock for the first time.
Insurmunia
We arrived at the Buddhist temple of Insurmuniya in the rain, which charged us with renewed vigor. We bought tickets for 200 rupees, left our shoes in front of the entrance (as is customary in all Buddhist temples) and went for a “walk through the puddles.” We got wet to the skin almost immediately, despite the presence of 2 umbrellas. The whole complex is very beautiful. On a small elevation there is an altar with lunar guard stones in front of the entrance. To the right is a small pool with images of elephants engraved on the rock. On the left is a small extension to the rock, inside of which there is a reclining Buddha. There is also a small historical museum nearby, dedicated to the Insurmuniya Temple. And on the back side of the temple there is a staircase leading to the very top. Here is the main attraction of the temple - the footprint of Buddha. According to tradition, they throw a coin there and make a wish, which we took advantage of. By this time the rain had stopped and in the area temple complex Many langurs and palm squirrels appeared.
Stargate. Ranmasu-uyana
Not far from the Insurmuniya Temple is the ruined archaeological complex of Ranmasu-uyana. Sri Lankans call it the Royal Pleasure Garden. There are 2 swimming pools not far from each other, one for women, the other for men. Approaching the complex, our guide asked if we believed in aliens and took us to a place where, according to legend, the aliens left their signs on the stone. The picture shows something like a map of the universe.
Behind Ranmasu-uyan and Insurmuniya is the beautiful lake Tissa Hueva, which sparkled with all its colors in the sun that came out after the heavy rain.
Mirisavetiya Stupa
The next point of our excursion was the Mirisavetiya stupa. A huge snow-white dogoba. Its size is simply unimaginable. To be honest, before planning a trip to Sri Lanka, I did not even suspect the existence of such architectural structures. Inside the dagoba or stupa (as it is also called) there is usually some kind of relic, but there is no entrance inside. We walked around it, took photos and headed to our next destination.
Sri Maha Bodhi
The sacred fig tree in Anuradhapura, grown from a scion of the Bodhi tree under which Prince Gautama achieved enlightenment and became Buddha. Sri Lankans say this oldest tree on the ground. Some branches rest on golden supports, and below there is a temple where thousands of pilgrims converge. We arrived just in time for the evening service. Musicians beat drums, music played, believers brought flowers to the tree and prayed. The Sri Maha Bodhi tree is considered one of the main shrines of Sri Lanka.
Satisfied and full of emotions from what they saw, we drove home, and along the way we bought fruit at the night market. By the way, the bananas here are small, half the size of those we are used to seeing, but they are sweet. And pineapples local residents prefer to eat with salt and pepper. Upon returning to the guesthouse, I asked the hostess to peel and cut the pineapple. At my request, she also sprinkled half the wedges with salt and pepper. It’s delicious, of course, but to be honest, I liked the slices without spices better. There will be a chance to try it.
It was a very interesting day and we did not regret at all that we took our guest host as our guide. We ourselves would have walked here for 2 days and would have been pretty tired. So, if possible, do the same. The city is large and the attractions are far from each other.
Before going to bed, we asked the host of the guest house how to get to , a town not far from Anuradhapura. Everyone found out and went to bed. It was planned that early in the morning we would go to Mihintale, explore everything there before lunch, return and leave Anuradhapura...
The most revered city in Sri Lanka, without a doubt, is Anuradhapura. Although many of its places of worship are in ruins today, a huge part of the cult and historical heritage this region has been preserved. Anuradhapura is an ideal tourist destination for tourists in love with history, for those who want to get to know the culture of this miniature country.
Ancient Anuradhapura is full of charm and mystery. Its attractions will allow you to plunge into the mystical past of Sri Lanka and even take some unique photographs there.
Not far from the Abhayagiri complex, tourists will find the ruins of the old Ratna Prasada monastery, built in the 2nd century by order of King Kanitta Tissa for the monks of the Abhayagiri order. It was gigantic in size, as evidenced by the powerful, richly decorated columns that can still be seen today. In the 8th century, the temple was reconstructed: several floors were added and a golden statue of Buddha was installed.
One of the centers of Sinhala civilization, the Jetavana Pagoda has a diameter of 113 meters and reaches a height 75 meters. At one time it was the tallest Buddhist building in South Asia. 93 million bricks were used for its construction. Today, next to the pagoda there is a museum where you can learn the history of the attraction and display an interesting collection of Buddhist statues.
One of Anuradhapura's most colorful structures, the Ruwanvelisseya Pagoda is located next to the ethnographic museum. An interesting wall that surrounds the pagoda is decorated with images of hundreds of elephants. Seriously damaged by wars and natural disasters, the landmark today is only 55 meters high and is surrounded by a garden replete with ruins.
Location: Abhayawewa Road.
An interesting tourist attraction in Anuradhapura is the Isurumuniya Monastery, which attracts attention with its stone sculptures that personify Prince Saliya and his beloved, a representative of the Asokamala caste.
Legend has it that the prince gave up his crown to marry her. Situated on the top of a rock, the monastery is full Buddhist relics, brought from India at the beginning of the 4th century. At the entrance to the temple there is beautiful lake, decorated with impressive elephant statues.
Located in picturesque place on the Tissa Wewa River, Mirisavetiya is a pagoda of impressive proportions. Like all pagodas in Sri Lanka, it has its own legend, which says that King Dutugemunu, who decided to take a bath in the river, threw off his scepter and his royal insignia. After bathing, he wanted to pick up the scepter, which contained the relics of Buddha, but was unable to. To protect them, the king ordered the construction of a pagoda.
Location: Old Puttalam Road.
An attraction that is very popular in Anuradhapura is the Thuparama Pagoda, built by King Dawaman Pusa. It is considered to be the oldest in Sri Lanka, dating back to the 3rd century. Tuparama is located north of the Ruwanwelisseya Pagoda and has a diameter of 18 meters.
Location: Thuparama Mawatha.
The Abhayagiri monastery complex is the largest in Anuradhapura. Its main building, the Abhayagiri Pagoda, is 108 meters. The complex of monastery buildings covers an area of 200 hectares and includes several Buddhist temples. The main attraction of the complex is the statue of Samadhi, which is considered one of the most beautiful images Buddha.
Built during the reign of King Vijayanahu in the 12th century from wood, stone and clay soil, the palace covered an area of about 2.5 square kilometers. Its southern wing was given over to a pagoda (Maligawa), where the relics of Buddha were kept. The wood used in the construction has not stood the test of time, but the stone part of the building can still be seen.
Once a magnificent structure covered with a bronze roof, Lohopasada Palace was built over 2,000 years ago for King Dutugemenu in the 13th century. Today you can see the ruins of 1,600 columns that supported the building. They say that the grandiose medieval building had 9 floors and could accommodate up to 1000 people at a time.
Money Museum
At the Anuradhapura Money Museum you can get acquainted with the history of Sri Lanka, starting from ancient times, in an accessible form. Many of its exhibits are recognized as the oldest in the world. Founded in 1982, the museum is divided into 4 exhibitions:
- Ancient period.
- Medieval period.
- Colonial period.
- Period of independence.
The oldest coins date back to the 3rd century and are made of silver. The museum also exhibits gold coins, as well as foreign ones that appeared here with the beginning of the development of trade.
Location: Stage 1, New Town.
The Sri Maha Bodhi Temple is home to what Buddhists believe is the oldest tree on Terra, planted in 249 BC. According to Buddhist belief, Gautami Buddha achieved enlightenment in front of a sacred tree at Buddhagaya, in India, and the Sri Maha Bothi tree is a shoot of the southern branch of this tree. A trip to Anuradhapura would not be complete without visiting this sacred place for all Buddhists.
Tiny Mihintale is considered the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It was here in the 3rd century BC. The first Buddhist monastery appeared and Mahinda's missionary work began - in honor of him, Mount Mihintale is also called Mount Mahinda.
Over time, the monastery grew in size and influence, and until the 13th century it was the third largest monastic complex in Sri Lanka. Stupas have been built here for centuries (there were more than 60 of them), and some were quite large.
Nowadays, Mihintale is rightly considered sacred and is visited by pilgrims. This is a working temple: a calm and majestic place, numerous stupas and other ancient buildings are discreetly, but perfectly integrated into the landscape. One of the oldest stupas contains the remains of Mahinda, and there is also a big statue Buddha.
Coordinates: 8.35027500,80.51811200
Bo tree
The Bo tree (or ficus sacred) is one of the oldest trees in the world. It is difficult to imagine its age - 23 centuries. The centuries-old giant grew from a sapling taken from a tree in Nepal's Budha Goya, under which Buddha gained enlightenment. For this reason, of course, the tree is a kind of shrine for all followers of Buddhism.
The scion was brought from Nepal to the island in the 3rd century BC by the nun Sangamitta, daughter of the Indian emperor Ashoka, and found its place in the royal park of Anuradhapura.
It would seem that such an old tree should be very large. But the sacred Bo itself is small; its venerable old age is supported by special supports. But the nearby protective tree is impressively huge.
As befits a shrine, the Bo tree, surrounded by a golden fence, is carefully guarded. You can't just approach him like that. But after passing through the protective cordons, you can stand in awe near the tree and, if you’re lucky, pick up a fallen leaf as a souvenir of the pilgrimage.
Coordinates: 8.34433100,80.39734800
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Jetavanarama stupa
"Jetavanarama" is a unique monastic complex created by King Mahasena in 276-303. At the dawn of the monastery, about 3,000 monks were located on its territory, which occupied an area of 48 hectares. On the central platform of the complex is the Jetavana Stupa, which rises 120 m and is the tallest brick structure ever built by man. In the 4th century AD, during the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Jetavanarama stupa was the third largest structure in the world, second only to the pyramids of Khafre and Cheops at Giza. The structure has massive brickwork that extends to a depth of 14 meters, so that the weight of the monument rests entirely on the bedrock.
Another unique thing about the stupa is that it is a perfect circle and contains particles of the physical remains of the Buddha. The place where the structure stands was known in ancient times as the Nandana Gardens. It was here that Arahat Mahinda preached a sermon to 7,000 people for 7 days. The Jetavanarama Stupa was built over the footprint of Buddha, and 93,300,000 bricks were used for its construction.
Coordinates: 8.35176200,80.40372100
The Museum of Money at the Central Bank with its collections can compete with historical museum, because it was in the coins of their kingdoms that the history of Sri Lanka was reflected. Here you can trace all stages of the country’s development from colonial times, when the territory was under the rule of first Portugal, and then Holland and Britain, to the present day. The exhibits in the collections of the Money Museum are recognized as the oldest in the region.
The museum was created in April 1982 to house the country's complete numismatic collection. But over time, the exhibits became more and more numerous, they covered wider time periods and the collection was divided into four thematic exhibitions: “Ancient Period”, “Medieval Period”, “Colonial Period” and “Period of Independence since the establishment of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka "
In the first two you can find the oldest coins that were in circulation in Sri Lanka. They were called Kahapana and date back to the 3rd century BC. They came in a wide variety of shapes and were made mainly of silver. Kahavanu gold coins appeared on the island only four centuries later. The first foreign coins appeared with the development of navigation and trade. Many coins of Greek, Indo-Greek, Roman, Chinese and Arabic origin have been found in Sri Lanka.
Coordinates: 6.93427600,79.84226900
Kutam Pokuna Twin Pools
Kutam Pokuna Pools (twin pools) – ancient pools Ancient world, representing enormous hydrological, engineering, architectural and artistic value. The pools were intended for bathing Buddhist monks.
The pools were built in the 8th century in the kingdom of Andradhapura. In fact, the pools are not twins, because the first reaches a length of 28 meters, and the second - 40 meters.
The pools are carved from granite slabs that cover the bottom and walls. There are also stepped walls in the form of shelves leading to them, on which the monks placed pots for ablution and other objects when bathing.
The pools are different unique system water purification: before entering the pool, water passes through a series of depressions next to the structure, and all dirt settles at the bottom. The pools are connected to each other using a pipeline.
Coordinates: 8.37110200,80.40159700
Abhayagiri Stupa
The Anuradhapura Stupa is the second tallest building in the ancient world, built in the 1st century BC by King Vatta Gamini Abhaya. The height of the stupa exceeds 112 meters.
In front of the entrance to the stupa there are two stone sculptures, who are considered the guardians of the god Kuvera. The name of the stupa consists of two names - the name of King Abhay and the name of Jain, known as Giri. The stupa houses an interesting library of the Ancient World, which even foreign scholars interested in studying Buddhism tend to visit.
The stupa is believed to be decorated with gold, silver and precious stones.
A monastery of the same name was built next to the stupa, which was once home to 5,000 monks. They worshiped an image of Buddha made of green jade.
Coordinates: 8.37101700,80.39550300
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