Sights and interesting places of Anuradhapura. Sights of Anuradhapura - old city Holy city of 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 are really 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 knock-knock, 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 quite well. He said that they had come 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 practically 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 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. From there they open beautiful views

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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 functioning temple) or is it simply 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 Sinhala kingdom. Main tourist sites in the city these are 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) is an ancient city on the island of Ceylon, which was the first capital of Sri Lanka. The Sinhalese built the city of Anuradhapura in the 5th century BC! Much time has passed since then, but the remains of this interesting Sinhalese city can be seen in the north of Sri Lanka, arriving there from Colombo by bus. We definitely wanted to visit its ancient ruins, imbued with the spirit of ancient history!

Compared to the south of the country, the main cultural attractions have been preserved in the center and north of Sri Lanka - the so-called “Golden Triangle”. Anuradhapura is part of it. Here are the famous stupas or dagobas, which have spread as an architectural norm throughout South-East Asia, and most high building made of brick in the world! And we began our acquaintance with Sri Lanka right here, in Anuradhapura. Practical information and we have accumulated a lot of experience, and now we will tell you about everything in detail.

is the first capital of the Sinhalese state and was founded in the 5th century BC by the Indian prince Anuradha. It is located within the boundaries of the modern city of the same name in Sri Lanka. Its name literally translates as “city of Anuradha”.

basic information

Name	Anuradhapura
Where is	In the northern central part of the island of Sri Lanka, on the banks of the Aruvi River, at an altitude of 81 m above sea level
What is	The city of Anuradhapura is sacred to Buddhists and consists of the Old City (historical part + archaeological zone) and the New City across the river (residential areas and tourist area). Is an object World Heritage UNESCO since 1982
GPS coordinates	8° 21′ 0″ N, 80° 23′ 7″ E 8.35, 80.385278
Distance to Colombo	206 km
How to get there	From Colombo - by bus, train or taxi; From Matara - by train; By bus from Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Kandy and Kurunegala
Date of foundation	5th century BC
Square	36 sq. km
Population	65 thousand people
Climate	Subequatorial, there are two rainy seasons (April-May and October-January). The driest month is June
What to see	Main attractions: ancient dagobas, ruins of the palaces of the Sinhalese kings, Isurumnia rock monastery, sacred Bodhi tree

View from the top of the monastery in Anuradhapura

Ancient city

Anuradhapura city- it is small modern city in northern Sri Lanka, which lies next to the impressive ancient ruins of the first capital of the Sinhalese people. We arrived here after noon. Our bus stopped at the bus station, and all the passengers got off. Then we got our luggage and went to explore the new city. At that moment, we didn’t really know anything about Anuradhapura except that there was an ancient city and outstanding sights of Sri Lanka.

Reading information about Anuradhapura on the Internet, we became very interested in its history. It turned out that the city was built in an area called Rajarata - that is, “Land of the Kings.” Another and more modern name for this region is the Cultural Triangle. Well, that means there’s definitely something to see here. independent travelers and tourists!

The city of Anuradhapura is also called the most important of the ancient cities, as it was the center for a long period of time - holding the capital status of the Sinhalese kings and the South Indian emperors of the Chola dynasty for almost a thousand years. There were strong trade ties with China. It was also an important center of Buddhism not only for its neighbors, but the fame of its power even reached the Mediterranean. Ambassadors from Anuradhapura met with Emperor Claudius in Rome.

Observation deck on a huge megalith

What to see

They are located on a large territory and are of great interest among numerous tourists. The ruins of palaces and ancient dagobas, as well as the sacred Bodhi tree, are all definitely worth seeing.

It is here, in the modern city of the same name Anuradhapura, which arose only at the beginning of the 20th century, that tourists come who want to learn about the long past of Sri Lanka and visit a UNESCO heritage site. Someone is traveling with organized tour or gets away from the beaches for a couple of days on an excursion, but we traveled here on our own.

Anuradhapura Archaeological Park Map

Anuradhapura consists of the so-called “old city” (Old City), which contains the archaeological zone and the main attractions of the ancient capital, and the “new city” with a tourist area, cafes, shops, hotels and guesthouses, separated from the old city by a river.

Here is an overview video about Anuradhapura:

From the very beginning it becomes clear that the city of Anuradhapura does not just stand on the river that connected it with north coast(near the island of Mannar). Previously, this was very important for communication with allies represented by the Chola dynasty, which extended its influence not only to its immediate neighbors, but also to other states and empires of Southeast Asia.

For example, the Khmers, who built under the influence of the Chola, and Dvaravati, an ancient state in Thailand. Remember the largest stupa in Thailand - Chedi Phra Nakhom Pathom! And thus it was from Sri Lanka and Anuradhapura that Buddhism spread throughout the world.

Advice. During a tour of the city of Anuradhapura, do not forget about the sun and take care of your head and skin if you are easily tanned. During hot days it is better to drink more water.

Archaeological zone

Leaving the bus station, we immediately found ourselves in the so-called archaeological zone, which is visited by all tourists. Anuradhapura's main tourism office is located on Sri Maha Bodhi Road, 200 meters from the Old North Railway and Bus Station. Here we took a map and found out all the information we were interested in. We definitely recommend visiting this useful place.

• Tourist office opening hours: 9.00 - 16.45 on weekdays and 9.00 - 13.00 on weekends.
• Working hours ticket office: 7.00 - 19.00 daily. And the ruins are open 24 hours a day.
• Ticket costs $25, valid for 24 hours from the date of purchase. Entrance to the Isurumuniya Monastery and the Bodhi Tree is paid separately - 200 rupees.

It is important to know! In Sri Lanka, it is customary to take off your shoes when entering holy places. And the dagobas of Anuradhapura certainly belong to them. So be sure to leave your sandals before entering Buddhist shrines. If you do not plan to return to the same place where you entered, or are afraid that your shoes will be stolen, then carry your shoes with you in a bag or put them in a backpack. Since brick buildings get very hot in the hot sun, and there is a risk of getting your feet burned, we recommend getting special socks for inspecting dagobas. And yet, clothing should also be modest: shoulders and knees should be covered.

How to get there

There are several options for how to get to Anuradhapura that are suitable for tourists. For ourselves, we decided that the easiest way would be to take a bus from Colombo to Anuradhapura. Although you could buy a train ticket and travel around without any problems railway. Or take a taxi/minibus, but this will be profitable and convenient if you are traveling in a large group.

• By train: There are 6 trains a day from Colombo. There are three classes of carriages, 2 and 3 can be sleepers. Ticket prices range from 100 to 520 rupees. Travel time is 5 hours. The stations are located next to the New Bus Station and 2 km north of the city.
• By bus: there are several options. From Colombo to Anuradhapura it takes 5 hours, the ticket costs 100-200 rupees; from Kandy - 3 hours for 70-150 rupees; from Polonnaruwa the travel time is 3 hours, the ticket price is 50 rupees. You can also take a bus from Negombo (with a transfer in Kurunegala), the journey will take 6-7 hours and you will have to pay 120-200 rupees.
  Important! All buses coming from Northern and Eastern direction stop at the New bus station, and from the South - at the Old Northern bus station. It is worth keeping in mind that no matter which bus station the bus departs from, it will definitely go to the second one and pick up passengers. However, it may no longer be convenient places in the cabin, so it is better to immediately take them at the point of departure.
• By taxi: If you take a car from Colombo or Negombo, the transfer cost will be $150. The services of a driver with a car throughout the Cultural Triangle will cost $170-200.

Anuradhapura on the map

Where to stay overnight

Despite the fact that the city is not very large, there is a fairly wide selection of hotels and guesthouses of different price categories. We decided not to stay in an expensive hotel here, because we only needed to spend the night and move on. You can book a room at the Anuradhapura hotel here:

Guesthouse French garden

In Anuradhapura we stayed in a very decent guesthouse French garden, located near the center. We arrived there on the recommendation of the driver. However, the place turned out to be very good and with good prices(3000 rupees for a room with air conditioning and 2500 for a room with a fan). The grounds are very beautiful, with a well-kept garden as the name suggests. We were pleased with the accommodation and service. The only thing I didn’t like was that the guesthouse has a rather expensive restaurant (for example, fried rice costs about 400 rupees), but the food there is delicious. Bicycles can also be rented here for exploring. archaeological park and book tours and guides.

Good hotels in Anuradhapura

To make it easier for you to find a hotel, we have studied all accommodation options in detail, made a review and we recommend the most best hotels in Anuradhapura(links are clickable):

• Rajarata Hotel- grade 7.6 (modern 4* hotel with stylish rooms and a swimming pool)
• Gamodh Citadel Resort- grade 8.4 (resort hotel with a garden and a swimming pool surrounded by ancient ruins)
• Diamond Lake Tourist Rest- grade 8.8 (clean and cozy guesthouse with its own restaurant)
• Villa Villa- grade 8.3 (family villa with garden near Lake Nuwara Wewa)
• London Palace- grade 8.1 (stylish hotel in the city with good restaurant and garden)

See all hotels in Anuradhapura →

Read also:

We have talked about practical issues related to traveling to Anuradhapura, and now we move on to the beauties founded by Prince Anuradha in the 5th century BC northern capital islands of Ceylon! The old city is famous for its dagobas, or bell-shaped stupas, scattered throughout the area. All of them played some role in different periods of the history of the Sinhalese state of Lanka.

The best way to watch Anuradhapura

Keep in mind that the area of ​​the old city is simply huge, and the attractions are scattered quite far from each other. It will be quite problematic to explore them on foot in the heat, so you should think about transport. There are several options for how to travel between the attractions of Anuradhapura:

• By taxi: the driver will take you to all the sights of the old city for $20;
• By tuk-tuk: cost - 100 rupees per hour;
• By bike: at any hotel or guesthouse you can rent a bicycle and ride around the ruins on your own. Cost: 200 rupees per day.

We took a taxi with a driver. At first we thought of inspecting it ourselves, but we were glad to have the opportunity. However, the cost of his services ended up being included in the total amount we paid him for the trip throughout the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka.

Since we arrived in Anuradhapura quite tired after the flight and the hot bus, the driver came in handy. He took us to all the sights and sometimes even told us something and kindly took photos for us. However, in general we were not very lucky with the driver, and he later even tried to deceive us. You can see all the details.

We recommend taking a driver or guide to those who do not have much time or, like us at that moment, know little about Anuradhapura. However, if we went to the hotel immediately after the bus and first of all got some sleep, and then were well prepared for sightseeing, as we usually do, we would go to archaeological park since morning. And in this case, we would prefer to explore the sights of Anuradhapura on bicycles on our own.

Advice. The best way to start your sightseeing in Anuradhapura is to visit the sacred Bodhi tree and the ruins next to it, and then head to Isurumuni Monastery, located in the south. After this, starting from the Mirisaveti dagoba and the Ruvanveli dagoba, move north to the Mahasena palace and the Moonstone. And you can finish the tour at the highest dagoba - Jetavanarama.

On the territory of the old city, it is especially worth noting what is sacred to Buddhists bo tree(Sri Maha Bodhi or Mahabodhi), which has been growing here for more than 2000 years. Its planting is documented in chronicles, and the seed was brought from India. It comes from the very tree under which Buddha gained Enlightenment.

Dog at the holy stupa of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka

Please note that there is an additional cost to visit the tree. It turned out that the main trunk of Mahabodhi was destroyed in the 19th century by an English religious fanatic. However, its small trunk remains, which is supported by numerous supports.

Next to the Bodhi tree is Bronze Palace- pyramidal structure of King Dutthagamani. Only 1,600 granite columns have survived.

Next we went to explore the ruins of the archaeological zone of Anuradhapura. First of all, we came to the Isurumuni Monastery (Isurumuni Raja Maha Viharaya), the entrance here is paid separately (200 rupees), and the funds collected supposedly go to restore the site.

Entrance to Isurumuni Monastery

The monastery stands on the shore of Lake Tissa. It is famous for its ancient stone reliefs - Lovers, Seated Man and Horse's Head. Most of the sculptures and reliefs were moved to the museum, which is located here near the monastery.

Relief "Seated Man"

The stones around which and on which the monastery was built seemed huge to us! These are not just megaliths, but supermegaliths, and although they were not processed by humans, but were simply used in construction, they still inspire respect! The steps to the observation deck are carved right into the rock.

Pile of megaliths

If you go up, you will have beautiful views of the surrounding area. Here, apparently, it’s good to watch sunset and sunrise, since the panorama is 360 degrees. Unfortunately, we were not able to see this beauty, and we still regret it.

There is a stone pool at the monastery

Also not far from the lake is the Mirisavatiya dagoba, where we went straight from Isurumuni. In ancient times, its height reached 61 meters, but in the 10th century it was rebuilt. Mirisaveti was the very first built in Anuradhapura, immediately after the founding of the city. It is oriented to the cardinal points with four gates. We walked around it, carefully looking at the details that seemed interesting to us.

According to legend, King Dutthagamani ordered this dagoba to be built on the spot where he placed his royal regalia, in which the relics of Buddha were kept. The king went swimming, and upon his return he could not take his things back. So he realized that it was in this place that the dagobah needed to be erected. After all, a stupa (or chedi), according to Buddhists, is a funeral mound, and the holy relics of Buddha should be kept inside.

Among the ruins you can sometimes find such unexpected surprises

Dagoba Ruvanveli

Another interesting Dagoba Ruvanveli (Ruvanvelisaya dagoba) stands out among other attractions of Anuradhapura in that it is surrounded by a wall of 400 elephants. The construction of this dagoba was also started by King Dutthagamani in II BC, and its height is 54 meters. The original name of the dagoba is Mahathupa, that is, the Great Stupa. This name is associated not with its height (it was the third among the stupas of Anuradhapura), but with its meaning - a golden bodhi tree is hidden inside.

Interesting fact: When the reconstruction of the shrine began in the 19th century, Buddhists from Burma donated precious stones to decorate the spire.

Dagobah Ruwanweli in Sri Lanka is surrounded by a formation of elephants

Walking along the wall with elephants at the Ruvanveli Dagoba, we involuntarily remembered and compared the Sri Lankan shrine with. And although the material and style are completely different, there are also similarities - the same veneration of elephants in Sri Lanka and in. The elephants in the first capital of the Sinhalese are drawn with almost biological accuracy, but among the Khmers they are more like a conventional image of a favorite animal.

Dagoba Thuparama

And then we found ourselves near the smallest of the stupas of ancient Anuradhhapura - the Thuparama dagoba. Its height is only 19 meters - it was founded in the 3rd century BC as a sign of the adoption of Buddhism. This means that this dagoba is the oldest in Sri Lanka. Buddha's collarbone is kept inside. This is a gift from Mahinda, the son of the Indian king Ashoka.

Dagoba Thuparama

When the dagobah was rebuilt in the 13th century, a roof was built over it. The wooden building rotted over time, but the stone columns remained. Such a building is called wat-dage. We found it interesting; we had never seen anything like this before.

Also built in the Wat Dage style, the Lankarama dagoba is not a very large stupa. It was erected in the 1st century, and fully corresponds to the canon, which was popular in Anuradhapura, and later will not disappear in the second capital of the Sinhalese - in Polonnaruwa. We looked at it from the side, but if we had more time, we would definitely come closer. She's worth it.

Vijayabahu Palace

We found the area very interesting former palace the local ruler. And although only columns remain from the Vijayabahu Palace itself, built in the 9th century, you can still see a huge pool and refectory here. The size of the so-called rice and curry pots really impressed us!

The ruler's bath amazed us with its size

"Refectory" of the Vijayabahu Palace. At first I didn’t believe that they cooked rice here!

Mahasena's Palace and Moonstone

We continued to explore the archaeological zone on the territory of another popular palace. Compared to other attractions in Anuradhapura, Mahasena's palace famous for its moonstone. And the era of this king was marked by the temporary victory of Mahayana Buddhism over Theravada Buddhism. The change in emphasis led to changes in construction - filigree stone carving became very popular. And the moonstone is the best and most famous cast of that time - the 7th-8th centuries. We saw a similar moon rock later in Polonnaruwa.

Dagoba Abhayagiri

Another one Dagoba Abhayagiri(Abhayagiri dagoba) was built in the 1st century BC, and its height is 115 meters. However, now, after restoration, the dagoba has rushed upward only 75 meters. Next to it there used to be one of the largest monasteries in the country, in which about 5,000 monks lived. It's a pity that I didn't get to see him.

According to legend, the name Abhayagiri is associated with the flight of King Valagambahu from his enemies. Seeing him running, monk Giri ridiculed the king. And he promised to return and... take revenge. After 14 years, the king actually returned to his capital, found the monk Giri and executed him. And at the place of execution he built a stupa, naming it in honor of his mocker.

We saw one of the tallest dagobas standing in the forests. Apparently, she was expecting a quick reconstruction. We hope that you will be able to see what it looks like after the renovation.

And there is also Kuttam-Pokuna Basin, which was built specifically for the Abhayagiri Monastery. We found it interesting that it consists of two parts connected to each other. This was done for a reason!

In general, the ancient buildings of Anuradhapura are very impressive. They don't look like they were built for monks, but rather for kings.

But the most important thing worth seeing in the ancient city is the brick Dagaba Jetavanarama(Jetavanarama dagoba). This is one of the few Anuradhapura stupas not covered with white paint. The dagoba was built in the 3rd century by King Mahasena, and its height was 122 meters in ancient times, but now it is only 70 meters. Nevertheless, it was the largest (tallest) brick structure in the world. During the heyday of the Sinhalese states, it was one of the tallest buildings in the whole world, second only to the ancient ones Egyptian pyramids. It is interesting to know that now the tallest stupa in the world is the successor to the Sri Lankan dagobas in Thailand.

The restoration of the dagobah is still ongoing (it has been going on since 1981), so you can walk around its territory without taking off your shoes.

The height of this stupa is mesmerizing. We had to move far away to fit her into the frame, and the people visiting the Buddhist shrine at that moment and walking along the foundation seemed very small.

Did you immediately notice the people below?

Our impressions of Anuradhapura

Despite the fact that we spent only half a day in Anuradhapura, we can definitely say that this is a grandiose place that is worth visiting for everyone interested in Buddhism, its history and the countries of Southeast Asia. After all, Anuradhapura is not only the first capital of Lanka, but also a missionary to spread Buddhism to other countries.

We were especially impressed by the ancient dagobas, which at first glance seem similar to each other, but nevertheless set interesting records - the oldest, the highest! Each of them has its own legend. We were also amazed by the evidence of monastic life at these dagobas! Just imagine how the rice was cooked in these giant stone vats?!

While exploring the city of Anuradhapura, we were especially interested in the practical hydraulic system consisting of artificial pools and irrigation canals. Previously, she supported the successful life of the city, located in a rather arid area.

We really enjoyed Anuradhapura, and we did not regret that we put this ancient city first on our travel itinerary in Sri Lanka, which we continued after. So we began the history of the island from the very beginning. Although it would be a little more correct to first look at Mihintale, the place from where Buddhism spread throughout Lanka itself. But you can visit the shrine the next day, as we did.

And again we are glad to see you on the pages. Today, having left the north of Sri Lanka, namely we went towards sacred Anuradhapura city with many ancient monuments cultural heritage, it is also called Old Town, from where in 1950 all residents were relocated to the new part of the city. And since we are not very rich travelers, we will share with you the story of how we managed to see all the sights for free.

Bus: Anuradhapura can be reached in 5 hours by bus (it arrives at the bus station in New Town).

• Option 1 - after the airport in Colombo we get to bus station airport (on foot, “knock-knock”). There is no direct bus from this station to Anuradhapura, but from there you can get to Colombo itself and then transfer to direct bus No. 5.
• Option 2 is to get to the bus station in Negombo, change to a bus to Anuradhapura or to Kurunegala, where you can change to another bus again. Straight the bus is coming via Puttalam. You can also get a transfer through Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala.

Having decided to try public transport, we took a bus from Jaffna for 100 rupees (26 rubles).

Having reached the town of Kilinochi (from Kilinochi to Anuradhapura 144 km), we already hitchhiked, but you can use the train (280 rupees per person).

How to get to the holy city of Anuradhapura for free.

Since we got up early, we still had a lot of time to hitchhike to the desired point and see more sights. Basically everything interesting cities located on one large territory, where a single admission ticket costs 3200 rupees (800 rubles) or $25. We didn’t yet know how many passages there were attractions they cost, although I have heard, in some cases they are very overpriced. And the point is not at all that Sri Lanka has the most unique attractions in all of Asia, it’s just that the state policy here is too greedy for money.

Naturally, paying such crazy money for a couple of stupas is too “stupid,” so we walked around the territory a little to the side and climbed over a low fence. First stop was a 120 meter stupa Jetavanarama, located on the ruins of the Jetavana monastery.

Well, yes, a big, big stupa, of which we saw enough back in, differing from the rest only in that it is considered the largest in Sri Lanka. And necessarily, this is not even specified, it preserves a fragment of some “detail” of the Buddha. This time it's part of his belt.

In principle, it is even a little impressive in size, and for me personally it seemed the most interesting attraction of Anuradhapura than all the other archaeological sites of the old city.

To get to the second stupa, we had to overcome the secondary ticket control, which, of course, we were not aware of.

The security guard, seeing two large backpacks from afar, immediately jumped up and waved his hands at us. Andrey didn’t even look in his direction, walking further, I followed his example. The guard, taken aback by our impudence, abandoned his place and in three leaps appeared in front of us, blocking the path and shouting “Ticket! Ticket! I silently turned my gaze to Andrey, who looked at the guard with a stupid look and, in turn, also waved his hands at him, pretending to be deaf and dumb. The uniformed man's face slowly lengthened and froze for a few seconds. I almost ruined everything by wanting to laugh when I saw his confused look. Still in shock, he automatically pointed his finger in my direction, hoping that maybe I was “normal.” However, I repeated the same “concert,” smiling guiltily at the same time. This finally “finished off” the guard; with a wave of his hand, he let our smiling, grateful faces pass on.

Picnic at the Ruvanvalisaya stupa.

Having walked forward a few meters, we allowed ourselves to have fun from the heart. In order not to run into another employee of the holy city of Anuradhapura, we walked around the large white stupa Ruvanvalisaya from the side.

I would say that this is where it opened best view at her.

Another “masterpiece” of Sri Lankan architecture is also known under the names Mahathupa, Swarnamali and Ratnamali Dagaba.

Here we temporarily abandoned our backpacks to relax in the shade of the trees, swing on long springy branches like monkeys, and gaze at the birds.

By the way, there were plenty of monkeys here too, I can’t stand them since childhood.

They didn’t approach us and that’s okay.

Meeting at the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree.

After resting, the hike continued to the sacred tree of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, grown from a shoot of the same one under which Buddha’s insight descended. Got it on the way Lovamahapaya- a building formed in ancient times by 40 rows, each of which contains 40 stone columns, for a total of 1600 columns. The remains of the latter (and maybe a remake) can be seen right in front of the palace.

Suddenly a young foreigner stood in front of me, greeted me in good English and asked where I was from. What else could I answer if not the truth? The boy was from Germany, for the first time he got out of his country and somehow his choice fell on Sri Lanka. He asked where we were staying, noticing two backpacks next to me. He clearly needed company, perhaps he was hoping to join us. I said that we are hitchhikers and sleep in a tent or with locals. At first he was interested in this, and he even squatted down opposite me, but after several of my stories he realized that we were unlikely to be on our way, saying goodbye as quickly as he had appeared.

By that time, Andrei had finished examining the sacred plant behind the fence, and answered my questions briefly: “a tree is like a tree, nothing special. It’s only fenced off from particularly prying eyes and mischievous hands.”

The last attraction of Anuradhapura is the Mirisaveti Stupa.

Before you leave old part sacred city of Anuradhapura, Andrey decided to turn to the next stupa Mirisaveti Stupa, built on the site of a scepter with relics of the same Buddha.

There was nothing else to do in the city, and we went in search of a bus to the nearest one, 16 km before which we paid 35 rupees (9 rubles). Where we had dinner and found shelter in one of the churches that accidentally remained open all night, but you will learn about these details a little later. Stay with us, subscribe to blog news and don’t forget to share your pleasant impressions of what you read with your friends through the social buttons below :).

Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka: attractions, photos, weather

The city of Anuradhapura is located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, 194 km from the actual capital of the country Colombo and 168 km from international airport Colombo. Anuradhapura is the administrative center of the district of the same name. The sites of the ancient holy city of Anuradhapura are included in the World Heritage List of Sri Lanka.

Anuradhapura is one of the "corners" of the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, which also includes the cities of Kandy and Polonnaruwa. The city was founded in the 6th century BC. on the Malwatu Oya River. In the Middle Ages, from the 4th to the 11th centuries, the city was the capital of the independent Sinhalese kingdom of the same name. The city has been a major religious Buddhist center for centuries.

Anuradhapura Map

Anuradhapura is also considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world along with Luxor, Alexandria (Egypt), Mexico City, Vera Cruz (Mexico), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Peshawar (Pakistan), etc. Today, this ancient capital of Sri Lanka is considered sacred to everything Buddhist world, the area of ​​the monasteries surrounding Anuradhapura is more than 40 sq km, the city is one of the main archaeological sites in the world.

According to the Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of Sri Lanka, the city of Anuradhapura was named after a minister named Anuradha, who originally founded a village settlement in the area. Anuradha was one of the ministers who accompanied the Indian prince Vijaya, who, according to legend, founded the Sinhalese race in Sri Lanka.

Photos of the city of Anuradhapura

Open Anuradhapura photo in a new tab.

How to get to Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura - Big City, including a railway station and a bus station. From major cities Sri Lanka You can get to Anuradhapura by train or bus.

How to get to Anuradhapura from Colombo

There are about 8 trains a day from Colombo to Anuradhapura. There is also a direct bus service between the cities of Colombo and Anuradhapura:

• No. 15-1-1 Colombo - Anuradhapura,
• No. 15-1 Colombo - Anuradhapura,
• No. 4-3 Colombo - Anuradhapura,
• No. 57 Colombo - Anuradhapura.

How to get to Anuradhapura from Negombo

Negombo is located on a railway line parallel to Anuradhapura and therefore, to get there by train you need to change trains at Ragama. There are 4 trains a day from Ragama to Anuradhapura. You can also travel to Anuradhapura from Negombo by bus. To do this, you need to take a passing bus from Colombo to Negombo, or go to Colombo and get on at the final station there.

How to get to Anuradhapura from Kandy

You can get to Anuradhapura from Kandy by train with a change at Polgahawela station. There are direct buses from Kandy to Anuradhapura:

• No. 42-2 Kandy - Anuradhapura
• No. 43 Kandy - Anuradhapura.

How to get to Anuradhapura from Galle/Matara

Travel by rail to Anuradhapura from southwest coast You can take a train with a change in Colombo. You can get to Anuradhapura by bus No. 2/4-3 Matara - Anuradhapura. And also with a transfer in Kalutara by bus No. 57/221/420 Kalutara - Anuradhapura.

How to get to Anuradhapura from Trincomalee

Theoretically, you can get to Anurahdhapura from Trincomalee by train with a change in Maho, however, due to the passage of the railway tracks on the map with a large detour to the south, it is much more time-efficient to take a bus. From Trincomalee to Anuradhapura you can take bus No. 835 Anuradhapura - Trincomalee.

How to get to Anuradhapura from Dambulla

Buses from Dambulla to Anuradhapura:

• No. 15-17 Kurunegala - Anuradhapura,
• No. 314/580/42 Anuradhapura - Badulla

How to get from Polonnaruwa to Anuradhapura

Buses pass through Polonnaruwa:

• No. 22/75/218 Anuradhapura - Ampara,
• No. 27/218/58 Anuradhapura - Wellawaya.

Sights of Anuradhapura

Sacred places of Anuradhapura

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Tree
(Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi)

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a sacred fig tree located in Mahamewna Gardens. The right southern branch is believed to be a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya in India, the tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment.

Sri Maha Bodhi is one of the most revered Buddhist shrines not only in Sri Lanka, but also in the world. Believers believe that a pilgrimage to the sacred tree helps heal diseases, helps pregnant women avoid fetal malformations, protects peasant fields from natural disasters, etc.

The existing fence around Sri Maha Bodhi was built in the 18th century. by King Kirti Sri Rajasinha to protect the tree from the wild elephants that abounded in the area. The height of the wall is 3 m, thickness 1.5 m. The length of the fence from north to south is 118 m, from east to west 83 m. The first golden fence around the sacred tree was built in 1969 in the city of Kandy under the leadership of Yathiravan Narada Thero ( Yatirawana Narada Thero).

The traditional Buddha Image House houses two ancient statues. The stone statue of a cobra is a very rare image. In the South-West temple complex Sri Jaya Maha Bodhi contains the remains of the Dakkin Tupa dagobah.

Dagobah Ruwanwelisaya
(Ruwanwelisaya)

The Ruwanwelisaya Stupa, or Ratnamali as it is also known, was built by King Datugemunu in 161 BC. after defeating the Chola invaders from India. The king hired an architect who designed the dagobah, whose dome, according to the monarch, was shaped like a “milk bubble.” King Datugemunu himself did not live to see the completion of the construction, which took a total of more than 33 years, and the construction was completed by his brother King Saddhatissa.

The height of the Ruwanvelisaya stupa is 103 m and its diameter is 292 m, this stupa was truly a miracle of architectural skill of that time. Ancient chronicles describe in detail the materials used in the construction of the dagobah and its foundation. In addition to ordinary stones, gold, silver, pearls, corals and precious stones were used.

The original building was destroyed in the 19th century and then rebuilt in 1940. Near the dagobah there is a sanctuary containing 5 limestone statues of standing Buddha. Four of the statues date back to the 8th century and symbolize past incarnations of the Buddha, and the fifth statue symbolizes the future (Maitreya Buddha) with a tiara on his head and a lotus flower in his hands.

Dagobah Ruwanwelisaya is one of the 16 Buddhist places of worship in Sri Lanka designated as Solosmasthana. The stupa is believed to contain some of the ashes of Buddha. Dagobah was built in such a way as to correspond to the Buddha's Teachings: the dome symbolizes the vastness of the Teachings, the four sides above it represent the Four Noble Truths, the concentric rings indicate the Noble Eightfold Middle Path, and the large crystal at the top of the stupa represents the ultimate goal of enlightenment.

Dagoba Tuparama / Tuparamaya
(Thuparamaya)

The snow-white Tuparama dagoba was built in the shape of a bell, with a base diameter of 18 m and a height of 50 m. Previously, the Tuparama dagoba was much larger in size, but throughout its history it was completely destroyed several times. The last time the stupa was rebuilt was in 1862.

The base of the stupa is paved with granite slabs, and the dagoba is surrounded by 4 rows of stone pillars. The height of the stone pillars on which the massive roof previously rested decreases as you move from the outer circle to the inner. The domed roof over the stupa, which existed earlier but has not survived to this day, was supported by 176 columns.

Dagoba Tuparama was built in the 3rd century. BC. during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The stupa was erected by the king at the request of Mahinda Thero, who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka, to enclose the relic of the right collarbone of the Buddha. The building has an original design: the vaulted vatadage temple is, as it were, pushed under the dome of the dagoba.

In the 7th century, the Thuparamaya stupa was completely covered with gold. Including the watadage temple built into it, made of golden bricks, with golden doors. After an attack by the South Indian Tamils ​​from the Pandyan kingdom, the stupa was looted and all the gold, jewels and treasures were taken away.

In the middle of the 10th century. The Sinhalese king Mahinda IV restored the dagoba, lined it with gold and installed golden doors in it, but again at the end of the 10th century, the Tamil tribes from South India, the Chola, completely plundered the temple complex. The last restoration of the stupa was completed in the mid-19th century, however, during the restoration process, the ancient stupa completely lost its previous architectural features.

Bronze Palace Lovamahapaya
(Lovamahapaya/Lohaprasadaya)

Lovamahapaya Palace was founded in the 3rd century. BC. the first Buddhist king of Sri Lanka, Devanampyatissa, who, at the request of Mahinda Thero, who brought Buddhism to the island, built the first building on this site. A century later, in the 2nd century. BC, King Datugemunu significantly expanded the architectural complex to the scale of which traces can be seen today.

According to the Sinhalese chronicle Mahavamsa, the building of the Lovamahapaya Palace was a nine-story structure 47 m high, its vaults were supported by 1600 stone columns. The palace was decorated with corals and precious stones, and the roof was covered with copper and bronze plates. Apparently for this reason, Lovamahapaya Palace is also called Lohaprasadaya, which is translated from Sinhala as “Bronze Palace”. The upper floors of the building were made of wood and were destroyed in the 2nd century BC. in case of fire.

Over the course of history, the palace building was rebuilt 7 times. At the beginning of the 3rd century, during the reign of King Sirinaga II, the palace was rebuilt, but its height was already 5 floors. By the middle of the 3rd century. King Jettatissa added two more floors, making it seven floors. Then, at the end of the 3rd century, King Mahasena destroyed the palace, using the materials to build the Abhayagiri complex, which caused a sharp conflict with the monastic community of Mahavihara.

In the 4th century. his son Sirimeghavanna restored the palace again. In this form, the building existed until the 9th century, until it was destroyed by the invasion of the South Indian Pandya kingdom. At the end of the same 9th century. King Sena II rebuilt the palace, but in the 10th century. The Indian invaders of Cola invaded the kingdom and completely plundered and destroyed it. Then the fall of Anuradhapura happened and the city ceased to be the capital of the kingdom, and only in the 11th century, during the reign of King Parakramabhu I, the stone pillars were raised and the building of the Lovamahapaya palace was partially restored. The palace building remains in this form to this day.

Dagoba Jetavanaramaya
(Jetavanaramaya)

The red brick Dagobah, Jetavanaramaya, is the largest in Sri Lanka, originally 122 meters high, but over time it has decreased to 71 meters.

Dagoba Jetavanaramaya was built in the late 3rd century by King Mahasena (273 - 303) and later completed by his son, King Sirimegavanna I. 93 million bricks were used to build the giant stupa, which is built on a rock, on a foundation 8.5 meters deep. Each side of the base on which the stupa is built is 176 meters long, the length of the stairs leading to it is 9 meters.

It is believed that the Jetavanarama Dagoba was built on the cremation site of Mahinda Thero, the man who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

Like all other buildings in Anuradhapura, this too was destroyed by Indian invaders in the 9th and 10th centuries. After the fall of the Anuradhapura kingdom, the stupa was abandoned and quickly covered by jungle.

In the 12th century, during the reign of King Parakramabahu the Great, the stupa was restored from ruins, but its height was reduced to its current height.

Houses of the Jetavanaramaya/Patimagara image
(Jethavanaramaya Image House/Patimaghara)

On the 48-hectare site of the Jetavana Monastery, to the west of the Jetavanaramaya dagoba, lies the vaulted building of the Jetavanaramaya Image House, also called Patimagara.

The building is believed to have been built by King Sena I in the 9th century and then destroyed when the Chola kingdom of India captured the north of the island in the 10th century. Subsequently, the House of Image was restored by the Sinhalese kings during the decline of the Anuradhapura kingdom.

The Jetavanaramaya image house is the largest found in the ancient cities of Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa.

Previously, the entrance to the building was closed by a monolithic door supported by stone pillars 8 meters high, and the House of the Image of Buddha itself housed a massive limestone statue 11 meters high and 25 Buddhist relics. According to calculations, the height of the building was 15 meters. Subsequently, in Polonnaruwa, in the likeness of the House of the Image of Jetavanaramaya, the vaulted buildings (gedige) of Thuparama, Lankatilaka and Tivanka were erected.

Dagoba Mirisavetiya
(Mirisavetiya Stupa)

Dagoba Mirisavetiya was built during the reign of King Datugemunu in the 2nd century BC, the building belongs to the Maha Vihara complex. The diameter of the base of the stupa is 43 meters and the height is 59 meters.

The name of the stupa is explained by a popular Sinhalese legend: when King Datugemunu, after his coronation, was going to the water festival in Tissavevu, he left his scepter (Kunt) at this place, inside which a sacred relic was laid. Then the king returned for the scepter, it seemed to be stuck and no one could move it.

Then the king remembered that he had previously broken tradition by forgetting to offer the monks chili pepper soup (Miris) before tasting it himself. It was a common practice in those days to give a portion of all the food that was prepared in the palace to the priests before the king could taste it. Seeing the miracle and remembering his misdeed, the king ordered the construction of a stupa at this place and called it Mirisavetiya (pepper soup stupa).

Dagobah was restored in the 1980s, but the entire structure collapsed in 1987, destroying one of the finest examples of Anuradhapura-era "Vahalkada" architectural pediments. Dagobah Mirisavetiya, visible today, was completed in 1993, but during the restoration process it lost all the historical features of the original.

Dagoba Lankarama
(Lankarama Stupa)

Lankarama stupa (Lankaramaya) is located on the territory ancient city, south of the elephant pond. Dagoba Lankaramaya was built in the 1st century BC. King Walagamba. The diameter of the Lankaram stupa is 14 meters, the diameter of the base is 406 m, and the height of the base is 3 m.

The stupa is surrounded by the remains of 88 stone pillars that supported the roof of the building, which has not been preserved until now. During its history, the stupa has undergone reconstruction; what its shape was was previously unknown. The Dagobah, built at Medirigiriya near Polonnaruwa, is built in the same architectural style as the Lankarama stupa.

Dagoba Lankarama is located 400 meters from the Abhayagiri Monastery, its ancient name is Silasobbha Khandaka Cetiya.

The place is so named because after the defeat from the Tamil invaders in 103 BC. The Sinhalese king Walagamba hid from his enemies in a place called "Silasobbha Khandaka". After defeating the Tamil invaders and liberating the country in the same year, regaining the throne, he built the Lankaram stupa at the site.

Dagoba Abhayagiri
(Abhayagiri Stupa)

The stupa was built in the 1st century BC. Sinhalese king Valagamba. Abhayagiri Stupa is the second tallest stupa in Sri Lanka.

According to descriptions by the Chinese monk Fa-Hsien in the fifth century, the height of the stupa was 122 meters, its outer surface was decorated with gold, silver and jewelry. Also at this place there was a 6m tall Buddha statue made of green jade. The upper superstructure over the dome, called hatharas kotuwa, has been preserved since ancient times.

According to the chronicles, after King Valagambahu ascended the throne in 104 BC, just seven months later there was a Tamil invasion of ancient Sri Lanka through the port of Mantota. Port after port, city after city, the Tamils ​​seized territory. The Sinhala army was defeated and was forced to quickly retreat; the Tamil king, meanwhile, captured Valagambaha's wife and several relics and took them to India. King Valagambahu was forced to hide in the jungle where the Tamils ​​could not find him.

At this time, a Jain monk lived in the place where the Abhayagiri dagoba stands today. When the king left the territory of Anuradhapura, passing through the gate, a Jain monk named Geri shouted insultingly: “Look how the great Sinhala king runs away!” The king ignored this comment, but when he returned to Anuradhapura, 14 years after defeating the invaders, he did not forget the incident.

The king completely destroyed this hermitage and in its place erected a massive stupa and 12 buildings and offered it to Mahathisa Thero. The stupa was named Abhayagiri, after the two parties to the conflict - the names "Abhaya" (the name of the king) and "Geri" (the Jain monk). Later, Abhayagiri Vihara became the rival of Mahavihara. The monks of Mahavihara Monastery were followers of Theravada Buddhism, and the monks at the same time Abhayagiri followed the principles of Theravada and Mahayana teachings.

Ratna Prasadaya Palace
(Rathna Prasadaya)

The Ratna Prasada/Prasadaya Palace was built in the 2nd century by the Sinhalese king Kanitta Tissa (167 - 186). The name Ratna Prasadaya is translated from Sinhala as “Palace of Jewels”.

The Ratna Prasadaya Palace was once a multi-story building; its size can be judged by the remains of columns that supported the vaults of the building.

In the 8th century, King Mahinda II restored the building to several floors and decorated it with many Buddha statues made of gold. However, all these treasures were looted during the invasion of the South Indian Pandyan Empire during the reign of King Sena I (833-853).

Subsequently, the palace of jewels was restored again by King Sena II (853-887), who returned the treasures to it. The Ratna Prasadaya building was then restored by the Sinhala King Mahinda IV in the 10th century.

The guard stone, designed to protect the treasures of the palace, has survived to this day. It is located at the inner entrance of the building and is one of the best examples of stone carving from the Anuradhapura Kingdom era.

Kuttam Pokuna Pond
(Kuttam Pokuna)

The Kuttam Pokuna ponds are an ancient engineering marvel. The actual builders of the structure are unknown; it is assumed that the ponds were built during the reign of King Aggabodhi I at the turn of the 6th and 7th centuries.

The Kuttam Pokuna ponds were used by the monks of Abhayagiri Monastery for bathing. The walls of the ponds are made of carved granite slabs.

In Sinhala, "Kuttam Pokuna" means "Twin Ponds". The northern pond (small) was built first; over time, a second larger pond was added to it.

The dimensions of the small northern pond Kuttam Pokuna are 28 * 15.5 meters, depth 4 meters. The dimensions of the southern (large) pond are 40*16 meters, depth 5.5 meters.

The water in the ponds was supplied through an underground water supply and went through four levels of filtration before entering the pond through a pipe stylized as a dragon's head. Next, the water from both ponds was drained into one canal and then used to irrigate the fields.

Samadhi Buddha Statue
(Samadhi Statue)

The statue of Buddha in the state of Samadhi is located in the ancient Mahamevnāwa Park. The Samadhi statue is considered one of the best sculptures era of the Anuradhapura kingdom. It is believed that the Samadhi statue was created during the 3rd or 4th century.

The statue of Buddha in the Dhyana mudra meditation pose with crossed legs and open palms placed one on top of the other is made of dolomite marble. Ancient statue has a height of 2.2 meters.

In 1886, this statue was found in the same place where it is currently located, having fallen, its nose was damaged. After this, the statue was reinstalled and the nose was reconstructed.

In 1914, the statue was again damaged by treasure hunters and restored again. The eyes of the statue are currently hollow, indicating that they were previously decorated with crystals or precious stones. It is unknown whether this statue was brought from another monastery or whether it was here originally.

It is believed that if you look at the statue from three different sides, then looking at the right and left sides, its face will express sadness, and if you look at the statue from the right, then its face will smile slightly.

Objects of the ancient city of Anuradhapura

Lake Tissa Veva
(Tissa Wewa)

The ancient man-made reservoir Tissa Wewa was built by the Sinhalese king Devanampyatissa, who ruled the country in the 3rd century BC. The dimensions of the embankment erected to form the ancient reservoir are impressive: the length of the embankment is 3.4 km and the height is 7.5 meters.

The surface area of ​​the Tissa Weva reservoir is 2.2 sq. km. The purpose of creating such a large reservoir, according to the ancient Sinhalese chronicle Mahavamsa, was to feed the gardens and parks located in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, as well as to irrigate the surrounding rice fields during the dry season.

The man-made lake Tissa Wewa receives water through the ancient structure of Jaya Ganga - a canal connecting the reservoir and the Kala Wewa River. Excess water from the reservoir is released into the Malwathu Oya River.

According to archaeologists, the ancient Tissa Wewa reservoir was built so reliably that even after 1,200 years it can supply water to the now modern city of Anuradhapura.

Lake Nuwara Wewa
(Nuwara Wewa)

The ancient Nuwara Wewa reservoir is the largest of the three man-made reservoirs of Anuradhapura. Nuwara Wewa translates to "City Lake".

The exact time of construction of the reservoir is unknown. Presumably it was built in the 1st century BC. e. King Vattagamini Abaya.

According to historians, the original structure of the embankment was made of bricks used in the construction of the Abhayagiri dagoba. The embankment was renovated in the 3rd and 5th centuries.

The Nuwara Wewa Reservoir has a surface area of ​​31.8 sq. km and is filled by a dam and canal on the Malwathu Oya River. The dam existed until 1873, when construction of a road bridge across the river began.

The depth of water in the canal connecting the lake and the river is 1.2 meters, the depth of the reservoir is 45 meters at the dam. Currently, the canal is used to drain excess water from Nuwara Wewa back into the river during floods.

Isurumuniya Temple
(Isurumuniya)

Ancient Buddhist temple Isurumuniya is located on the banks of the Tissa Wewa reservoir. The temple was founded by King Devanampiya Tissa at the end of the 4th century. BC. The temple was previously known as Meghagiri Vihara. The temple is known for its unusual stone carvings, made in different architectural styles, depicting different subjects:

• carving Lovers from Isurumuni Lovers

  The carving was created presumably in the 6th century. in the Gupta style shows a man and a woman sitting on his lap, in one version personifying King Kuvera Vaisrawana and his queen Kuni, in another the god Shiva and his wife Parvati, in the third the scene captures a prince, the son of King Datugemunu, who abandoned the throne to marry a lower-class girl.

• carving Royal Family

  The carving was presumably created in the 8th century, the work was carried out in the Gupta Kala architectural tradition; The image carved on a granite slab includes 5 human figures, in the center of the composition presumably is King Datugamunu.

• carving Elephant Pond

  The carving was supposedly created in the 7th century, made in the Pallavian tradition. The image depicts elephants bathing, but what is remarkable is that the images of elephants correspond to images in stone carvings at Mamallapuram in southern India.

The Isurumuniya Temple is the first place in Sri Lanka where the Buddha's tooth was placed upon his arrival on the island. The stupa near the temple and the Buddha statue located inside it are modern. Some of the caves near the temple used to serve as a refuge for monks, but now many bats live there.

Ransimalakaya Temple
(Ransimalakaya)

Across the road from the bronze Lovamahapaya Palace are the ruins of Ransimalakaya. Between the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree and the huge Ruwanweliseya dagobah is a site of ruins with towering stone pillars.

The site was examined by archaeologists from the Royal Asiatic Society, who discovered the foundations of a building there when they first excavated it in 1895.

The current ruins of the building indicate what it represented open building without walls, and its roof, which has not survived to this day, was previously supported by 8 rows of 10 granite pillars.

Only a few of these pillars can be observed today. The building can be entered through four entrances located on each side of the building.

According to the Sri Lanka Department of Archaeology, this building was used as a meeting hall by the monks of the Maha Vihara in the Middle Ages. The body of Maha Mahinda Thero was kept in the same building until cremation.

Ruins of the Toluwila complex
(Toluwila Ruins)

The ruins of the Toluwila Buddhist complex are located next to the Anuradhapura railway station, outside the boundaries of the ancient city. The Toluwila complex was supposedly part of Pabbatha Vihara.

The estimated time of construction of the monastery of the Toluwila complex is the period between the 7th and 9th centuries.

According to the chronicles, in Toluville in the 3rd century BC. Mahinda Thero (the man who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka) stayed during his pilgrimage from Chathiya Pabbatha to Maha Vihara.

In the house, the image of Toluwila was discovered and taken to National Museum Sri Lanka, located in Colombo, a statue of Buddha sitting in the Samadhi pose, considered the most elaborate such statue in Sri Lanka.

The Buddha Image House, located on a hill, is surrounded by a large number of remains of outbuildings, made in a unique architectural style, and the Toluwila complex itself is surrounded by a moat.

Ruins of the Temple of the Tooth Relic of Buddha Daladage
(Dalada Maligawa/Daladage)

Northeast of royal palace Vijayabahu ruins are located ancient complex Maha Pali, the Temple of the Tooth Relic of Buddha Dalada Ge and the two Buddha Image Houses with the domed roof of Gedige. All four buildings are located at a distance of 50 meters from each other.

The ruins of the building, known as Daladage, are believed to be the remains of the Temple of the Tooth Relic structure, built by the Sinhala King Mahinda IV in the 10th century after the Sinhalese army was defeated by the South Indian Chola Empire and the northern part of the island came under their control.

The remains of the Daladage Buddha Tooth Temple stand on a tetrahedral body measuring 60x65 meters. The temple consists of a large building with wide bays on three sides (out of four) and two small auxiliary buildings, which have almost disappeared, to the northwest and northeast of the temple.

The main entrance to the Daladage building is centrally located on the north side of the temple. An inscription above its entrance, made during the reign of Mahinda IV, has allowed archaeologists to identify the purpose of the room.

Elephant Pond at Pokuna
(Eth Pokuna)

Not far from the Lankaramaya stupa there is an ancient irrigation miracle - the huge artificial pond of Et Pokuna. The name of the pond is translated from Sinhala as “Elephant Pond”.

Et Pokuna Pond is the largest pond not only in the territory of Abhayagiri, but also in the territory of the ancient city of Anuradhapura.

The dimensions of the ancient pond at Et Pokuna are quite impressive: its length is 159 meters and its width is 52.7 meters. The Pond at Pokuna is 9.5 meters deep and holds 75,000 cubic meters of water.

The water in this pokuna pond is supplied from the Periyamkulam reservoir through a network of underground canals. Visitors to this day can still see parts of the water supply system that supplies the pond.

The channels supplying water were made by ancient craftsmen from stone blocks. Previously, the pond was used by the monks of the Abhayagiri Monastery for bathing and other daily needs, their number at that time exceeded 5,000 people.

Ruins of the Mahapali complex
(Mahapali Alms Hall)

The Mahapali Hall of Mercy was supposedly built by King Devanampyatissa in the 3rd century BC. and was subsequently expanded by other kings who reigned during the Anuradhapura kingdom.

The ruins of the Mahapali complex are located north of the Vijayabahu I palace and cover an area of ​​0.5 hectares. The massive granite columns that previously supported the roof of the Maha Pali Hall building have survived to this day.

After the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC, the island became one of largest centers Buddhism in the world.

Thousands of monks lived in the cities of ancient Sri Lanka, providing them with food was the responsibility of the king, and thus the halls of mercy appeared ( Alms hall) - a place for monks, supplied with food.

One of the main attractions of the place is the deep well that supplied water to the buildings of the Mahapali complex. The walls of the well are built of granite and brick; steps located around the perimeter of the square well allow you to go down to the water.

Gedige Temple
(Gedige)

The temple with the once vaulted dome of Gedige is located on the territory of the Maha Pali complex. The Gedige Building (may also be called Gedi Ge) is a brick structure, more or less similar in appearance to the Buddha Image House.

Gedige is considered the sanctuary of the Mahayana tradition, which preached tantra, because of which they had a conflict with the followers of Theravada, which ended in the complete victory of the latter. The history of construction and the time of creation of this building are unknown.

Gedige and the Buddha Image House of the Maha Pali complex are the only known Image Houses in Anuradhapura made entirely of brick masonry: only the door and window frame were made of granite.

Previously, the building of the House of the Image of Buddha was decorated with a vaulted dome, stone stairs led to the second floor, and a sanctuary was located inside. Gedige covers an area of ​​10 square meters. meters, House of Buddha Image 11 sq. meters.

Mayura Pirivena Training Center
(Mayura Pirivena)

This training center is one of the main training centers belonging to the Maha Viharaya complex during the Anuradhapura kingdom era. The Mayura Pirivena training center was built by King Buddhadasa in the 4th century.

Today, the Mayura Pirivena building is completely destroyed; all that remains of the building is the foundation with several pillars that previously supported the roof.

The Mayura Pirivena training center is believed to be the site where Granthakara Pirivena was also previously located, where the Indian Buddhist monk Buddhagosha Thera was involved in compiling commentaries on the Theravada sacred texts in the 5th century. While in India and having found a text for which the commentary on the Tripitaka was lost, Buddhaghosa went to Sri Lanka to study the Sinhalese commentary, which at that time was preserved in the Maha Vihara monastery in Anuradhapura. There Buddhaghosa began studying the large volume of commentaries that had been collected and preserved by the monks of the Maha Vihara.

The interpretations presented by Buddhaghosa have generally constituted the orthodox understanding of the Theravada sacred texts since at least the 12th century. Buddhaghosa's works have been recognized by Western scholars and Theravada monks as the most important Theravada commentaries. Buddhaghosa described the center of Mayura Pirivena as "located in beautiful place, well-maintained, cool and with sufficient water supply."

Vessagiriya Monastery
(Vessagiriya)

The ancient forest monastery is located on the territory of the ancient city of Anguradhapura, a couple of hundred meters south of the Isurumuniya temple, on the Anuradhapura-Kurunegala road. The place may also be called Issarasamanarama. The monastery is located among huge stone boulders.

The Buddhist monastery of Vessagiriya was founded in the 3rd century BC. and expanded in the 5th century during the reign of King Kasyapa, up to 500 people lived on its territory.

Currently, only the remains of 23 are observed in this area stone caves. Now the visitor can only see the stones, because... all other structural elements were made of fragile materials and were not preserved.

Inscriptions in the Brahmi language, one of the oldest writing systems, have been found in natural stone shelters that served as shelter for monks. Archaeologists also found the ruins of a building with a round foundation, the purpose of which is unknown; during excavations, 70 rare coins were discovered there. On the territory you can see the remains of buildings of a refectory for monks and several dagobas.

Royal Palace of Vijayabahu I
(Vijayabahu I Royal Palace)

The Royal Palace is located to the southwest, across the road from the Maha Pali complex. The palace was built by the Sinhala king Vijayabahu I (1055 - 1110) in the 11th century during the Anuradhapura kingdom.

In 1070, a Sinhalese king overthrew the South Indian Chola invaders who had ruled the kingdom and, after an 18-year military campaign, unified the country. After defeating the Chola, the Sinhalese king recreated Buddhism, which had been virtually destroyed during Tamil rule, and restored ancient infrastructure and irrigation projects.

During the reign of the king, the capital was the city of Anuradhapura, but, celebrating his consecration as a monarch, the king moved the capital of the country to the city of Polonnaruwa.

It is believed that the royal palace building was used for official celebrations and ceremonies. The width of the building is 39 meters, length 66 meters.

Two massive guard stones at the entrance to the building depict "Sankhanihi" and "Padmanidhi" - servants of the god Kubera. Remnants of ancient plaster can still be seen on the walls of the palace.

Sangamitta Stupa
(Sangamittha Stupa)

The red brick Sangamitta stupa is located 150 meters east of the famous Thuparamaya dagoba. The ancient stupa was presumably named after the daughter of the Indian Emperor Ashoka, named Sangamittha Theri.

The emperor's daughter arrived in Sri Lanka in 249 BC, bringing with her a branch of the original sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree to the island.

The princess traveled to the neighboring country with her brother Mahinda Thero, who is the man who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Arriving on the island, the son and daughter of Emperor Ashoka dedicated their lives to the spread of Buddhist Teachings in the country and are still revered as the founders of Buddhism.

Ancient chronicles mention that the Sinhalese king Uttiya placed the ashes of the arhat Sangamitta Teri in a small dagoba east of the Thuparama stupa. Archaeologists suggest that this was the Sangamitta stupa.

Dakkin Stupa
(Dakkhina Tupa Stupa)

Ruin ancient temple, apparently unfinished, are located south of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple complex and the Mayura Pirivena training center.

The name of the place means "Southern Monastery" in Sinhala and is believed to be the cremation site of several Sinhala kings.

This site was identified as the Dhakkhina stupa by Professor Paranavitana in 1946. According to the ancient chronicles of Sri Lanka, the cremation of the Sinhalese king Datugemunu, who ruled in the 2nd century BC, took place at the site. The Dakkin Stupa was erected.

Initially, after the cremation of the king, the volume of the dagobah was much smaller, but throughout history it was rebuilt several times and over time reached its modern size.

Next to the stupa are stone pillars with exquisite carvings depicting Vaisravana and Kalpawruksha.

Nakha Vihara Temple
(Nakha Vihara)

The Nakha Temple belongs to a unique type of square brick structure, being one of only four such unusual buildings found in Sri Lanka.

The temple building is believed to have been built during the Anuradhapura Kingdom in the 7th to 10th centuries. and belongs to the Mahayana tradition.

The size of the base of the temple is 9x9 m. The ruins of the House of the Buddha Image were found near the Naka Temple, but the object has not survived to this day.

Excavations carried out by archaeologists in the area of ​​the Naka Temple revealed the presence of several layers of clay plaster, which presumably indicates that the building was active and inhabited for a long time before it was abandoned.

The Nakha Temple is rarely visited by tourists, the most popular of the four is the brick building of Satmahal Prasad in Polonnaruwa, the other two are located in Anuradhapura on the territory of the Abhayagiri Monastery.

Ruins of the Padalanchana Dagobah/Chetiya Power
(Padalanchana Chethiya/Sila Chethiya)

Fifty meters from the famous Tuparama stupa are the ruins of a small ancient dagoba, Padalanchana Chetiya. The place is also called Sila Chethiya, Kujjatissa or Digha Stupa.

The stupa is an archaeological site with features from the late Anuradhapura kingdom, which probably indicates that it was rebuilt or restored.

Sila Chetiya is one of the 16 main places of worship in Sri Lanka called Solosmasthana. Dagobah was built at the beginning of the 2nd century. BC. King Lagnatissa.

According to the Sinhala chronicles Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa and Mahabodhivamsa, the Buddha left his mark on the site of the Padalanchana stupa during his third visit to Sri Lanka.

According to the Mahavamsa it is also believed that this place is one of the four where all the Buddhas (Kakusanndha, Konagamana, Kassapa and Gauthama Buddha) at one time came to the island and left their footprints before leaving it.

Ruins of the Padanagar pavilions
(Padanagara)

The two sites, called the Padanagar pavilions, are located to the west of the Abhayagiri Monastery, away from other ancient structures.

The granite base of the building was erected on a hillock.

The pavilions are located outside the ancient city of Anuradhapura and were used by monks, presumably for meditation and retreats.

The pavilion structure is surrounded by a moat. The building, over the ruins of which rise rows of stone pillars, is devoid of any decorations or ornaments, with the exception of a small number of them at the stone toilet building located to the right of the pavilion.

The first pavilion of Padanagar is smaller in size than the second. Both pavilions are equipped with ancient water supply, with water-carrying channels running under the foundation of the ancient structure, and stone toilets.

Ranmasu Uyana / Magul Uyana Park
(Ranmasu / Magul Uyana)

Even before the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century. BC. parks were a common part of urban planning. The founder of the park, Ranmasu Uyana, is unknown.

It is believed that the park was built as an alternative to the previously existing parks, which were given to the monastic community (Sangha) by King Devanampyatissa with the arrival of Buddhism on the island.

According to an inscription found in the ancient Vessagiriya monastery, water for the park came from the Tissa River and was then distributed to the fields in the area of ​​the Isurumuniya Temple.

There are several small ponds in the park, where goldfish used to swim and lotuses bloomed. The stone edging of the ponds is decorated with traditional carvings of bathing elephants.

Ranmasu Uyana Ancient Park is located on an area of ​​16 hectares. The park is an excellent example of ancient Sri Lankan park architecture of the pre-Christian era. The “star gate” Sakwala Chakraya is located on the territory of the park.

Petroglyphs of Sakwala Chakraya
(Sakwala Chakraya)

In Ranmasu Uyana Park, on a large boulder there is a picture of ancient drawing, called Sakwala Chakraya or Bawa Chakraya.

The creator, purpose and time of creation of the petroglyph are unknown.

One suggestion is that the image represents the oldest map of the world in existence: the cosmographic charts of the universe, or “map of the worlds,” described in ancient Buddhist texts.

According to another theory, Sakvala Chakraya is a kind of star gate, similar to those found in Peru near Lake Titicaca and in the Abu Sir pyramid complex.

The Kingdom of Anuradhapura existed from about 400 BC. before the beginning of the second millennium, however, there is a version that the age of this artifact is at least 5000 years old, and dates back to the reign of King Ravana.

Weather in Anuradhapura

The best time to visit Anuradhapura is from January to September inclusive - at this time the city receives the least amount of rainfall and the weather is favorable for walking tours through the ancient city.

The high season for visiting Anuradhapura is from June to September - the driest time of the year. The rainiest months, the monsoon season in Anuradhapura, are October, November and December under the influence of the northeast monsoon.

Throughout the year, the air temperature in the city is stable and varies slightly with the seasons: night air temperatures fluctuate between +21 C +24 C; Daytime air temperatures range from +29 C to +34 C.

 

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