Anuradhapura

Located in the north-west of the island, Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for 1,400 years. It is slightly more than 200 kilometers from Colombo and a drive of around 6 hours. Anuradhapura gained much
greater prominence with the advent of Buddhism on the island, after which many significant buildings and monasteries were constructed. The three greatest monasteries of Sri Lanka, the Mahavihara, the Abhayagiri and the Jetavana, were all located in Anuradhapura. Visitors will see mainly the ruins of these monasteries and other structures associated with them. All the other buildings have long since disappeared. Due to its vulnerability to attacks from South Indian raiders, Anuradhapura gradually lost its importance by the 9th century, and the political seat of the island shifted south-east to Polonnaruwa. It was abandoned by the 11th
century and swallowed by the jungle, lost for almost a thousand years. The city and its important ruins were rediscovered only in the early 19th century with the help of the British.

Sri Maha Bodhi

When a number of women wanted to become nuns shortly after theconversion of King Devanampiya Tissa and the royal family, Sanghamitta,the sister of Ven. Mahinda came to the island to start the Order of
bhikkhunis. She brought with her a branch of the sacred Bodhi Tree fromIndia, under which the Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment.This branch was planted in 288 BCE in Sri Maha Bodhi, or the Mahabodhi Temple, and the tree is believed to be the oldest living planted tree in the world. It is one of the most sacred and venerated relics in Sri Lanka.

Ruvanvalisaya

Simply known also as the Great Stupa, the Ruvanvalisaya was constructed by Dutthagamani after he became king in 161 BCE. This was his most ambitious project and it is said that one of the architects designed the
dome to resemble a bubble of milk. Sadly, the king did not live to see the completion of the stupa.When it was finally completed, it was one of the wonders of the ancient world, with a diameter of 90 metres at the base and a height of 91 metres. The compound of the stupa is surrounded by four walls with elephant
figures made into them. It is believed that relics of the Buddha are enshrined within the stupa.
                                                              The Ruvanvalisaya was also designed with the teachings of the Buddha in mind. Its dome signifies the vastness of the doctrine, the four facets above it represent the Four Noble Truths, the concentric rings indicate the Noble Eightfold Path, and the large crystal at the pinnacle represents the ultimate Buddhist goal of enlightenment.

The Abhayagiri

The Abhayagiri Monastery was built by King Vattagamini Abhaya in 88 BCE after regaining his throne. He constructed it over a Jain monastery, fulfilling a vow made after being mocked by a Jain ascetic while fleeing for his life from South Indian invaders. It was the largest monastery in Sri Lanka for over 600 years and at its peak, housed as many as 5,000 monks. The Abhayagiri stupa was built by King Gajabahu I in the 2nd century CE, and stands 72 metres high with a diameter of 94 metres. The Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien described the stupa as being covered with gold and jewels when he visited it in 412 CE. After falling into neglect and covered by the jungle, it was rediscovered by the British in 1828.


The Thuparama

This was the first such stupa constructed following the introduction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Built by King Devanampiya Tissa, it believed to enshrine the collar-bone of the Buddha. The stupa was destroyed several
times and although originally constructed in the shape of a heap of rice, it was rebuilt in 1862 in the shape of a bell. The  octagonal pillars around theThuparama once supported a dome over it.



Mahasena’s Pavillion


This location is known for its beautiful moonstone, the finest and most well preserved in Sri Lanka. Moonstones are usually found at the entrances or at the bottom of stairways to temples and other important Buddhist buildings. They are characteristic of ancient Sinhalese artwork. Stepping over a moonstone into a temple signifies one’s passage from the mundane towards the path of enlightenment.In this excellent example, the outermost ring of flower petals signifies the fires of worldly existence, and the elephant, lion, horse and bull represent birth, disease, decay and death. In the adjacent ring, the scroll of leaves and flowers mean desire and craving, and further inwards, the geese represent those who have left their worldly attachments. The next ring of leaves and flowers indicate the heavenly worlds and finally, the innermost arc of lotuses signify the accomplishment of Nibbana

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