Anuradhapura is a city with a rich history, so this place is perfect for history buffs who want to immerse themselves in Sri Lanka’s fascinating past. Anuradhapura is a UNESCO world heritage site. This ancient city is the first capital city of Sri Lanka. king Pandukabaya founded this city in 377 BC. He developed ‘Anuradha Grama’ into a fully-fledged city. King Pandulabaya’s life story and his ascent to the throne involved adventurous and enthralling events, thus his story has been adapted into movies and tele series. Anuradhapura remained Sri Lanka’s capital for about 1400 years and ultimately collapsed in 1017 due to South Indian invasions.
The stupas typically contain relics of the Supreme Buddha, the arahants, and other valuables like gold, rubies, and silver. A plethora of stupas and shrines can be located in Anuradhapura. Ruwanwelisaya Stupa is a colossal structure that is enshrined with the largest number of relics of the Supreme Buddha. Thuparama stupa is of great importance as the oldest stupa in Sri Lanka. The sacred collarbone is enshrined in Thuparama. Jetavanarama Stupa is one of the tallest monuments in the ancient world. A part of a sash or belt tied by the Buddha is believed to be the relic that is enshrined here. Abayagiri stupa is one of the greatest structures and the view of this brick monument is breathtaking. A statue of a golden bull containing relics of the Buddha had been buried in the core of the stupa. The other important stupas in Anuradhapura include Mirisavetiya and Lankaramaya. The artifacts such as the Balustrade ‘Korawakgala’, the Guard Stone ‘Mura Gala’, and the Moonstone ‘sandakadapahana’ found in these ancient Buddhist sites have unique architectural values. Symbolism in these artifacts represents Buddhist concepts. Sri Maha Bodhi tree is a sampling from the original Bodhi tree under which the supreme Buddha attained enlightenment. Isurumuniya temple is well-known for its stone carvings, especially of the Isurumuniya Lovers. Locals believe Prince Salia and Ashokamala who belonged to a low caste are depicted in the carvings. Prince Salia relinquished the throne to marry Ashokamala. ‘Twin baths’ (kuttam pokuna) are exemplary of a hydraulic engineering marvel. They used to be bathing ponds of Buddhist monks.
The visitors can discover vestiges of other historical places such as Lovamahapaya, and Ranmasuuyana. Lovamahapaya was a 9-story building with a roof covered with copper-bronze plates. Today 1600 pillars of Lovamahapaya remain. Ranmasu Uyana used to be a pleasure garden for the royals. The remains of a two-thousand-year-old hospital and medical equipment too have been discovered.
Mihintale is a mountain peak at a distance of 17 km from Anuradhapura city. In the 3rd century BCE, Indian Emperor Dharmashoka sent his son, Mahinda Thero to establish Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Devanampiyatissa who was the ruler in Sri Lanka encountered the group of missionaries for the first time in Mihintale. Mahinda Thero quizzed him to determine the king’s intelligence and capacity to comprehend. This can be considered the first intelligence test recorded in history. The questions that revolved around mango trees in the surroundings and the king’s relatives seem simple and easy at first glance but required a clear and sharp mind to answer them. On the outskirts of Mihintale, there’s an artificial pond which is called ‘kaludiya pokuna’. In the surroundings of the pond, a rock-carved bathhouse and the ruins of a small monastery can be witnessed.
You’ll come across several man-made reservoirs built in ancient times to provide water to paddies. Basawakkulama, Nuwara wewa, and Tissa Wewa are a few to name. A stroll around these lakes will be relaxing and you’ll be able to enjoy spectacular views of the ancient city and the serene environment.
Above is an account of ancient Anuradhapura city in a nutshell. These historical landmarks tell fascinating stories. History aficionados can explore more about their historical and architectural values. This ancient city is sure to entice history enthusiasts with its interesting past.
The other destinations you can cover from Anuradhapura in a single day include Dambulla, Pidurangala, and Sigiriya. You can reach Sigiriya and Pidurangala in 1 hour and 30 minutes(55km). It takes approximately 25 minutes from Sigiriya to Dambulla(16.6km).
If you look for train rides from Colombo to Anuradhapura, trains run once daily between Colombo and Anuradhapura. The departure time is 5.35 AM. The arrival time is 10.34 AM.
There’s a host of hotels to accommodate you in Anuradhapura ranging from deluxe and grand to quaint and appealing hotels. Two hotels near the city center of Anuradhapura are ‘Heritage Hotel’ and ‘Alakamandawa Anuradhapura’. Heritage Hotel will offer you a tranquil environment being located amid verdant environs facing Tissa wewa reservoir. This hotel is 4km from Anuradhapura New Town railway station and 6km from Sri Maha Bodhi. Alakamandawa Anuradhapura built to the theme of antiquity will offer you a cozy stay. This hotel is located 6km away from Ruwanweliseya and 5km from Sri Maha Bodhi.
