| City | Anuradhapura
(World Heritage Ancient City declared by UNESCO) |
| Known for | Sri Lanka’s first capital, a potent symbol of Singhalese power, and the most extensive and important of Sri Lanka's ancient cities. |
| Location | 206 km from Colombo. |
| Existing since | 4th century B.C. |
| Places of interest | The Sacred Bo-Tree is the oldest historically documented tree in the world. It was grown from the tree under which Buddha achived enlightment, Abhayagiri Dagaba (1st century B.C., Sri Lanka's second highest stupa), Jetavanaramaya (370 feet high, the biggest stupa in the world), Thuparama Dagaba (enshrines the collar bone of the Lord Buddha), 'Heaven's Mirror' - A perfect alighment of the three stupas (Mirisavati, Ruvanweli and Jetavana), with three stars in the constellation of Orion, namely Rigel, Al nitak and Bellatrix. |
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Remarks |
Anuradhapura was the royal seat of more than 250 Buddhist and Hindu kings recorded in the royal genealogies, and the preeminent city on the island for some 1400 years. |