Anuradhapura

Snapshot

Sri Lanka’s first capital, Anuradhapura, located within the Cutlural Triangle in the North West province, was the greatest monastic city of the ancient world. It was royal capital for more than 100 Sri Lankan kings and at its heights was home to thousands of monks from dozens of monasteries. Originally founded by a minister called Anuradha, in the 4th century BC, it became the capital of Sri Lanka two centuries later. After a long and sometimes bloody history, it was abandoned in 1073 and is now today the most important religious and cultural site in Sri Lanka. The ruins of Mahavihara, the first Monastery, which served as the seat of Theravada Buddhism, as well as the Thuparamaya, built by King Devanam Piyatissa in 250 B.C.E, the Ruwanwelisaya, and several other monasteries and temples can be seen. The ancient Bo Tree, which was originally a branch of the Bo tree in Budda Gaya under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment and brought to Sri Lanka by Emperor Asoka’s daughter, Princess Sangamiita, also is in Anuradhapura.