Anuradhapura
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Majestically located in the North Central Province, the city of Anuradhapura was first settled by Anuradha, a follower of Prince Vijaya the founder of the Sinhalese race.
Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization. It is the first capital, founded in the 5th century B.C. is situated 206 km from Colombo.
The Mahavamsa, the historical chronicle affirms that the city was founded in 380 BC. The capital city of Sinhala Kings of Sri Lanka suffered, survived, was razed to the ground and was rebuilt as most other cities whose prosperity and the envy of rulers in its proximity was a recipe for recurring disasters and innovative engineering in reconstruction.
It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. It is believed that from the fourth century BC until the beginning of the 11th century AD it was the capital of the Sinhalese. During this period it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles (40 km²).
Attractions worth seeing are: The Sacred Bo Tree, Abayagiri Dagaba, Jetavanaramaya, and Mirisavati Dagaba ect. Ruwanwelisaya stands on the top of the must see list when in Anuradhapura as it's one of the tallest stupas in the country, and dates back to 2BC. Mihintale a rock which is dotted with shrines and rock dwellings is known as the cradle of Buddhism of Sri Lanka and is located nearby.
The Dagoba – Thuparamaya was built by King Devanam Piya Tissa in 3rd century BC to enshrine the clavicle of the Buddha, considered a sacred relic that was gifted to the King by the Mauryan Missionary Emperor Asoka. The city was conquered and sacked by Pandyan kings in the 9th century. The destruction in AD 993 by an invading Indian King brought an end to the city as the capital of Sri Lanka. Close to Anuradhapura is Mihintale, the oldest and the first wildlife sanctuary of all mankind. The story goes that King Devanam Piyatissa who was a deer hunt when he found Arahant Mahinda and by royal edict declared the entire area as a protected reserve a tradition that continues to this day. Other than Mihintale, there are more than 14 protected wild life parks you can visit on your Sri Lanka trip.
The oldest tree in the world adorns this city of shrines. It was brought from India in the 3rd century BC. Its sanctity rests on it being grown from the Bo Tree (ficus religiousa) in Bodhgaya India. Under the shade of the parent tree, the Ascetic Siddharathe sought enlightenment.
The relicts of the Buddha enshrined in Stupas or Dagobas have thus determined the topography of Anuradhapura.