ancient ruins
Ruwanwelisaya
A brilliant white 2nd-century BCE stupa in Anuradhapura, over 100 m tall and ringed by a wall of stone elephants. One of the most venerated Buddhist monuments in the world.
5 km · about 10 min drive
AsiaSri LankaNorth Central Province
Anuradhapura
North Central Province, Sri Lanka · Asia
About Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Mihintale, 5km from Ruwanwelisaya.
Anuradhapura is in North Central Province, Sri Lanka, with about 61,000 people. The nearest town is Mihintale, about 12 km away.
Anuradhapura (Sinhala: අනුරාධපුරය, romanised: Anurādhapuraya, IPA: [ənuraːd̪əpurəjə]; Tamil: அனுராதபுரம், romanised: Aṉurātapuram, IPA: [ɐnuɾaːðɐβuɾɐm]) is a major city located in the north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province and the capital of Anuradhapura District. The cityRead more
lies 205 kilometres (127 mi) north of the current capital of Colombo in the North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malwathu Oya. The city is now a World Heritage Site famous for its well-preserved ruins of the ancient Sinhalese civilisation.
While Mahāvaṃsa places the founding of the city in 437 BCE, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement on the island for almost three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Asia. It is the cradle of the Hydraulic Sinhalese civilisation, Theravada Buddhism, and the longest-serving ancient capital of Sri Lanka that has survived for 1500 years. Moreover, it was the first capital of the Sinhala Kingdom of Rajarata, following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara. Anuradhapura was also the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries and has been a major Buddhist pilgrimage site with ruins of many ancient Buddhist temples, including the famous Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya and the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, the oldest still-living, documented, planted tree in the world believed to have originated from the original Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya (Bihar, India) under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. These vast networks of ancient temples and monasteries now cover over 100 square kilometres (40 mi2) of area of the city today.
The city was mostly destroyed and largely deserted after 993 CE, with the Chola invasion from South India. Although several attempts were made by later Sinhalese kings to return the capital to Anuradhapura, it was not reestablished as a major population centre of the island until the British colonial era in the 19th century CE. Despite its decline as a political centre, Anuradhapura remained a vital pilgrimage site for Buddhists throughout the medieval period and continues to be a significant spiritual destination today. The modern revival of Anuradhapura began in the 1870s under British colonial rule, with infrastructure and urban planning initiatives aimed at supporting administration and accommodating pilgrims. The contemporary city, much of which was moved during the mid-20th century to preserve the site of the ancient capital, is a major road junction of northern Sri Lanka and lies along a railway line. The city is the headquarters of Sri Lanka's archeological survey, and tourism is a significant factor in its economy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Anuradhapura?
Within an hour or so of Anuradhapura: Ruwanwelisaya (5 km), Pidurangala Rock (54 km), Sigiriya Lion Rock (55 km), Dambulla Cave Temple (57 km).
Where is Anuradhapura?
Anuradhapura is in North Central Province, Sri Lanka, about 12 km from Mihintale.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 60,943
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Region
- North Central Province
- Timezone
- Asia/Colombo
- Coordinates
- 8.3122, 80.4131
Tags
Worth the detour from Anuradhapura
4 notable places within an hour's drive.
photogenic
Pidurangala Rock
A granite outcrop with an ancient cave monastery and reclining Buddha, reached by a short scramble. It gives the one view Sigiriya itself cannot: the Lion Rock standing whole above the plain at sunrise.
54 km · about 65 min drive
ancient ruins
Sigiriya Lion Rock
A 5th-century fortress atop a 200-meter rock column with ancient frescoes, mirror walls, and landscaped gardens below.
55 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Dambulla Cave Temple
Five caves cut into a 160 m rock face, painted and filled with over 150 Buddha statues across two millennia of continuous use, the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.
57 km · about 65 min drive
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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