The ancient city of Anuradhapura is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. Extensive excavations and restoration work has been carried out at various locations in Anuradhapura under the Cultural Triangle Project with support from UNESCO.

Excavations at Anuradhapura have revealed that human settlement began here about 500 BC. According to the Mahawamsa, the ancient chronicle, there were three notables named Anuradha who were involved in the founding and development of the city. It is not surprising, therefore, that the settlement became known as Anuradhapura, 'The city of Anuradha.

The Sri Maha Bodhi heads a list of eight principal places of worship on the itinerary of Buddhist pilgrims visiting Anuradhapura, and visitors who wish to take a glimpse at the country's ancient civilization. Of the other places, Ruwanweliseya, Thuparama, Jetavana, Abhayagiri, Lankarama, and Mirisawetiya are dagobas - large bell-shaped monuments that enshrine Buddha relics. The last, Isurumuniya, is a vihara or temple. Dagobas are a distinctive feature of Buddhist architecture, and are deeply symbolic. Some of those at Anuradhapura are among the largest religious monuments in the world.
While the dagoba was the outstanding achievement of the early architect and builder, the images of the Buddha - seated, standing and recumbent - were the outstanding achievement of the sculptor. Anuradhapura has a particularly fine Samadhi Buddha Statue (seated, in deep meditation) a photograph of which Nehru found of solace during imprisonment by the British.

There are numerous other monuments in the city, such as the Brazen Palace, as well as fine carvings in stone such as moonstones and guardstone, secular sculpture (Isurumuniya), bathing ponds (Kuttam Pokuna), and the Royal Pleasure Gardens.

• Sri Maha Bodhiya


There is no spot in Anuradhapura more hallowed than the Sri Maha Bodhiya, the sacred Bo-tree. In fact, this specimen of ficus religiosa is the oldest historically documented tree in the world. It is said to be a branch of the very bo-tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhi Gaya in India. It was transported by sea to Lanka by Emperor Asoka's daughter Princess Sanghamitta (brother of Mahinda, who introduced Buddhism to the island) and eleven nuns around 236BC, during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa.

Visitors may be confused at first because they will discover that there are several bo-trees in the area. The oldest and holiest, the bo-tree, stands upon a special platform known as a bodhighara. All that is left of the original temple is the platform and parts of the surrounding wall - the smaller temples, moonstones, guardstones, and balustrades are later additions. The bo-tree is encircled by a modern gold-plated railing that is festooned with colourful flags and strips of cloth left by the thousands of pilgrims that come here, especially on weekends and poya days. In April a large number of pilgrims arrive to bathe the tree with milk.

• Ruwanweli Dagoba/ Ruwanweli Seya


The Ruwanweli Dagoba, literally the "Gold Dust Dagoba," but also known as Mahathupa or "Great Stupa," was conceived by King Dutugemenu in the 2nd century to house Buddha relics on a spot indicated by the Arahant Mahinda. Buddhist monks from all over India are reported to have come for the enshrinement of these relics in 140BC. The Ruwanweliseya is popularly regarded as the greatest of Anuradhapura's dagobas. It was supposedly some 135 metres high in its original form - although it is considerably shorter today - and it has a diameter of 80 metres. Indeed, it was the tallest dagoba in the world at the time.
It is noteworthy that the dagoba was built in the classic bubble-shape - a bubble floating on water that is. Legend has it that the architect who won the chance to create the sacred building, when asked for his design, called for a bowl full of water. Placing his hand in the water he scooped some up and let it fall back into the bowl. In doing so it formed the characteristic shape of a perfect bubble-on-water, and the architect, pointing to it, declared that this was his design.
The construction of the dagoba began as always with great ritual and symbolism. Dutugemenu stationed himself at the centre of the designated piece of land and ordered a minister to hold the end of a fine rod of silver that was fitted into a gold pivot. The minister was then told to walk round the land describing a circle that would delineate the base of the dagoba. According to the ancient chronicle the Mahawamsa, Dutugemenu then placed in the centre of the circle "eight golden and eight silver vases, and surrounded them with 1,008 fresh vases and with cloth in quantities of 108 pieces. He then caused eight excellent bricks to be place separately, one in each of the eight quarters."

Today, fully restored, the dagoba is reached through one of four gateways that lead into the sandy precincts. Facing the dagoba is a statue believed to represent Dutugemenu. There are also four 8th-century Buddha images carved from limestone housed in a modern shrine. The dagoba is topped by a 60-centimetre rock crystal from Myanmar that dazzles in the sun. The Anuradhapura dagobas feature unusual architectural appendages, known as wahalkadas. These are ornate projecting shrines and there are four of them around the dome. At the Ruwanweli only the one to the west, covered with fine carvings of animals and human figures representing divinities, is original.

• Lovamahapaya / Brazen Palace


At a little distance from Sri Mahabodiya stands the Lovamahapaya also called the Brazen Palace and Lohaprasadaya. It was built by King Dutugemunu some 200 years ago and served as the dwelling of the monks. It was originally a nine stories structure, 400 feet in length which took around 6 years to be completed. However, during the rule of King Saddhatissa, the building was immensely damaged. The palace is amongst the Eight Places of Veneration in Anuradhapura.

• Thuparama Dagoba


TheThuparama Dagoba, literally "the Monastery with the Stupa," has the distinction of being the oldest example of such sacred architecture in Anuradhapura, if not Sri Lanka. It is believed that the right collarbone relic of the Buddha - which was gifted by Emperor Asoka after King Devanampiyatissa was converted by the Arahant Mahinda - is enshrined within. The Thuparama was built by Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC. According to the Mahawamsa, the Arahant Mahinda instructed that it should be made with clay taken from the bed of the Abhaya Tank and fashioned in the paddy-heap shape. Bricks were then laid over the clay. The present stupa, which was renovated in the 19th century in the bell rather than paddy-heap shape, is 19m high.

• Jetavanarama Dagoba


The Jetavanarama Dagoba, which was the pet project of King Mahasena (274-301AD), is the largest building at Anuradhapura. Originally it was no less than 122 metres high, making it the third tallest structure on earth after the pyramids at Dharshur and Gizeh in Egypt. The Jetavana Dagoba must have dominated the ancient city, just as it dominates the ruins today, even though its height has diminished to about 75 metres. But whereas for centuries its dome has been encrusted with vegetation and its spire broken, it is now being restored with support from UNESCO.

The massive weight of the Jetavanarama Dagoba required the construction of a circular platform (salapatala maluwa) 113 metres in diameter. Archaeological investigations have revealed that the platform rests upon a brick foundation 10 metres deep, which in turn rests on a substantial layer of concrete-like material. The dagoba itself was built of large bricks laid in a mortar of adhesive clay. The brickwork was then covered with a coating of lime plaster and painted white.

Excavations conducted under the Cultural Triangle Project since 1981 have uncovered a considerable collection of artefacts, such as intaglio seals made from semi-precious stones and glass portraying human heads, animals and birds. In addition, Roman, Indian and other foreign coins have been found, together with fragments of glass from containers offered in enshrinements, beads semi-precious stones, crystal agate, ivory, bronze, gold and silver. Next to the dagoba stands the Jetavanarama Museum, which houses some of these finds.

• Abhayagiri Dagoba


The Abhayagiri Dagoba was built in 88BC by King Vattagamini Abhaya, also known as Valagambahu. Abhayagiri means "fearless Giri," which, legend says, refers to a Jain monk whose hermitage stood on this spot in the 1st century BC. When Vattagamini fled the city before an Indian invasion in 102BC, he was supposedly taunted by this monk, who shouted after him, "Look at the great black Singalese running away!" Fourteen years later Vattagamini regained the throne, had Giri executed, and built the Abhayagiri where the monk's hermitage once stood.

The Abhayagiri Dagoba was originally 135 metres high, but it fell into disrepair and was later restored by King Parakramabahu of Polonnaruwa in the 12th century, when it may have stood over 100 metres high. Today, however, in it is only 75 metres high. The dagoba has some interesting bas-reliefs, including an elephant uprooting a tree.

• Lankarama Dagoba


The Lankarama Dagoba was founded in the 1st century BC by King Vattagamini Abhaya at the place where he took refuge during a Tamil invasion. Now restored, the dagoba was originally the centre of the Lankarama monastery, a auxiliary of the Abhayagiri monastery, which was also built by Vattagamini Abhaya. Three concentric circles of pillars surround the dagoba, indicating that it was contained in a vatadage with a conical roof. The Lankarama is much frequented by pilgrims.

• Mirisaweti Dagoba


The Mirisaweti Dagoba was constructed by Dutugemenu between 161-158 BC after his defeat of the Tamil invader Elara. Dutugemenu, it is said, had the Mirisaweti Dagoba built in an excess of piety after remembering that he had eaten a whole red pepper (miris) as a relish with his meal without any thought to the share he should have offered the sangha. The Mirisaweti Dagoba commemorated victory over Elara as well, for it was raised over a spear containing relics of the Buddha, the customary source of protection in battle of Sinhalese kings. This spear had been planted in the spot by Dutugemenu while he engaged in water festivities in the nearby Tissawewa after the defeat of Elara.

The Mirisaweti Dagoba was rebuilt by King Kassapa V in 930AD, and modern restoration work, recently completed, began in 1979 with the support of UNESCO. It is surrounded on three sides by the ruins of monasteries, where there are some outstanding Buddha images. A little to the northeast is the monks' refectory that features a long stone trough into which boiled rice, enough for 1,000 monks, was poured by the lay followers of the monastery.

• Isurumuniya


The Isurumuniya was built in the 3rd century BC as part of a monastic complex called Issiramana, which received its name from the 500 nobles (issara, 'those of the first rank'), who sought ordination as monks there. It is probably the best situated and most tranquil shrine in Anuradhapura, as it occupies a commanding position on a vast boulder overlooking the Tissa Wewa. The temple, which is carved from the solid rock, has several lotus ponds at its base and houses a large seated Buddha image and a small museum.

The most famous sculpture at Isurumuniya is that known as The Lovers, which was carved in the 6th century AD in the Indian Gupta style. It was probably brought here from elsewhere as it was carved into a separate slab. Popular folklore identifies the young couple as Saliya, King Dutugemenu's son, and Asokamala, a low-caste maiden, who fell in love and married after meeting in the Royal Pleasure Garden at Anuradhapura. As Asokamala was a commoner, however, the young prince forfeited his claim to the throne. A less romantic and probably more accurate interpretation of the figures is that they represent a Hindu god and his consort.

• Samadhi Buddha Statue



The Samadhi Buddha Statue, which probably dates from the 4th century AD, is a magnificent image of the Buddha in Samadhi, a Buddhist term for deep meditation, or more literally, concentration. Samadhi is used in connection with the practice of meditation and refers to the fixing of the attention on a single object, thus discouraging discursive thinking. Three degrees of intensity are distinguished
(1) Preparatory concentration
(2) Access concentration
(3) Attainment concentration


• Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds)


The Kuttam Pokuna, mistakenly known as the "Twin Ponds," which dates from the 3rd century AD, has been completely restored. These magnificent rectangular ponds, set end on end, were probably used for bathing purposes by the monks of a monastic establishment, perhaps of the nearby ruin called the Kaparama. Although they are referred to as twin ponds, the northern pond is 42 metres long, 18 metres wide and 5 metres deep, while the southern pond is 30 metres long, the same width, but one metre shallower.