Anuradhapura is the Ancient Capital of Sri Lanka and is bursting with history making it a perfect stop on your itinerary.
Situated around 4 and a half hours north of Colombo by road, the town is small so 2 nights is plenty of time to see the sights. Anuradhapura will immerse you in the history and importance of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. This was different to our usual excursions but I found it to be very special to witness so many people, of all ages, attending the temples for prayer. We visited during the festival of Poson which celebrates the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Ruwanweli Maha Seya
Visiting the Sacred City
In order to visit the Sacred City you must first purchase your ticket to the UNESCO world heritage site at the archaeological museum. Entrance tickets are US$30 per adult, in addition to the hire of your tour guide.
You can hire a guide and their tuktuk through Get Your Guide or through your hotel. It is possible to rent bicycles and explore the Sacred City yourself however the information provided by the guide truly enhanced our visit so we would recommend booking a tour.
The Sacred City surrounds the Sri Maha Bodhi aka The Bodhi Tree. This tree was grown from a cutting of the tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment. It is extremely important to Buddhists in Sri Lanka and is the oldest documented tree in the world. Make sure to bring cash for the shoe store by the Bodhi Tree (100 LKR).
Sri Maha Bodhi
Other sites in the Sacred City include a number of stupas and many ruined city buildings. Stupas are sacred buildings. The shape of the Ceylonese stupas denotes their function but many are built to contain relics of Buddha. Ensure you plan a visit to the ruins of the Refectory Hall. Within the ruins remains a large stone basin that would have once been filled with rice to serve all of the residing monks.
The Samadi Buddha Statue is a key location to visit within the Sacred City. This statue is a depiction of Buddha meditating. When viewed from the left side Buddha appears to be smiling whilst when viewed from the right side Buddha appears sad.
Sacred City top tips
- Dress appropriately, ensuring knees and shoulders are covered.
- Bring a pair of socks to protect your feet from the hot ground when you are required to remove your shoes.
- Bring plenty of water.
- Consider breaking the visit with an evening tour of the Bodhi tree and Ruwanweli Maha Seya (free entry) followed by a day trip of the remaining sights.
- Bring small value notes to pay for shoe store or offerings
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