Immerse yourself in a glorious and spiritual adventure to Anuradhapura, a historic city enclosed away in the center of Sri Lanka where religion, culture and the history forms a rich tapestry. Prepare to go on an excursion across time as soon as you enter this spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sri Lanka. Allow yourself to be exposed to the wonders of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, an ancient city from the Cultural Triangle, where ages-old monuments and a rich cultural legacy bear tribute to a magnificent past.
Enter a world with royal roots, when in the 4th century BC, under the bold vision of King Pandukhabaya, the legendary Anuradhapura Kingdom unfolded its magnificent glory. This old kingdom is located 205 kilometers (138 miles) north of Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province which is blissfully situated among the flowing banks of the Malwathu Oya. Anuradhapura was given the treasured title of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in recognition of its immense value and to recognize its position as a priceless diamond enhancing the magnificent structure from this wonderful island, Sri Lanka.
In the glorious era of Anuradhapura, Buddhism had a significant impact on the culture, morals, and organizational procedures of the time. Anuradhapura ruins consist of the most prestigious and mesmerizing sites in South Asia which are huge dagobas (brick stupas), historic lakes, and ruined temples that were constructed during the Anuradhapura era and when you explore the city, thousands of years of Sri Lanka's capital can all be found inside this extensive estate. A pruning from the iconic Bodhi tree that Buddha was seated beneath, which claims to be the longest living tree in the world, is also found in Anuradhapura.
Thousands of people of this homeland lived and spent their time at royal palaces, monasteries, temples ornamented with sparkling precious stones, two- and three-story houses and buildings, boutiques, leisure grounds, pools, and lush parklands. A few of these most exquisite and famous sites of Anuradhapura are listed below.
This dagoba is one of the most famous sites among the Buddhists which is renowned for its structure as it is the third tallest construction in the world after the pyramids. People mainly bring flowers as offerings for the dagobas. The flowers that Buddhists usually bring with them would be Lotus flowers.
Do you want to know a fun fact though? After the people had left these places at that era, the monkeys bred in most of these lost cities of the ancient civilizations. Whenever people bring flowers, the monkeys wait for their chance to lay their hands on these flowers. The monkeys actually munch on them! Oh the fun they have with their tribe.
This is another large construction which is the second stupa of Anuradhapura that is built with red bricks. The top of this dagoba is not damaged as it is in Jetavanarama Dagoba and it contains a gate made of large stone pillars. Visitors are usually not allowed to enter any of these dagobas and only monks are given the privilege to enter inside the premises. Wouldn’t you be curious to find out what these huge domes look like from the inside and how they stand for over a thousand years without faltering? I would be curious too but these security measures are taken to ensure the safety of these sacred ruins and to preserve them accordingly.
Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba is one of the most visited stupas from all the three stupas in Anuradhapura. It is a white stupa that sparkles much brighter when the sun shines upon it. The monks usually are dressed in their orange clothing that is meant for them, the students would visit dressed in white and the other visitors would usually be the pilgrims. This exquisite white stupa is surrounded by elephants carved in black stone. The monkeys would not steal any offerings of flowers here so you need not worry about it.
Kuttam Pokuna, also known as the Twin Ponds, is a historical monument situated in Sri Lanka's medieval city of Anuradhapura. It consists of two enormous linked pools that were constructed more than 2,000 years ago by Sri Lankan architects. The surrounding monasteries and other facilities used these pools to collect and refine the water whenever required. Kuttam Pokuna is renowned for its exquisite precision and the complex stone carvings. It is also regarded as a wonder of historic hydraulic engineering and also provides a window into the island's rich cultural legacy and is now a well-liked landmark at this legendary city.
The ancient reservoirs were very clever and smart doings of the monarchs in that era. These water bodies were artificially built and the water in these water bodies were collected from monsoon rains; perhaps our monarchs had the knowledge on how to utilize the naturally given privileges. Why did they build artificial reservoirs? Well people needed water for farming, to grow rice, therefore they built them for the benefit of the farmers so this part of Sri Lanka is known to be Sri Lanka’s Rice Bowl. The water tanks still supply enough water for the paddy fields up until this day.
Nuwarawewa Lake is the biggest reservoir that was built in 20 BC. Basawakkulama and Tissa Lake are the two other reservoirs. They built walls around these reservoirs when building them and these walls were also the roads that went around the reservoirs. Imagine building a reservoir with a wall that serves as roads for the people. These roads still exist at the present day. How amazing is that? How amazing must the technology have been when they built all of these exquisite sites? Make sure to visit all of these sites to experience the glory of the capabilities of Anuradhapura’s proud civilizations.
Anuradhapura offers a wide range of activities to satisfy the interests of every tourist. Explore the vast ancient site on an enjoyable bicycle ride while taking in the beauty and tranquility of the surroundings. Perform spiritual rituals at the holy locations in order to get blessings and find peace within yourself. Observe vibrant religious events and festivals that are still performed today and capture the spirit of old customs. Find harmony in the peaceful lawns and meditating premises that provide chances for soul searching and refreshment for those seeking tranquility. Engage with welcoming people and participate in traditional arts and crafts programs to learn about the traditional way of life.