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Anuradhapura |
For over 1000 years Sinhalese Kings with occasional South Indian interlopers rule from the great city of Anuradhapura. It is the most extensive and important of the Sri Lankan ancient cities.
Anuradhapura was founded in the 4th century BC and is famous for its Dagobas (Temples), Reservoirs, and beautifully landscaped gardens, the ruins of which still remain to this day. The sacred Bo Tree (the world's oldest tree on record) "Jayasri Maha Bodhi" and the "Ruwanwali Seya" Temple are two of Sri Lanka's most sacred places found in Anuradhapura. In addition to this there are many other historical and religious sites found in Anuradhapura. |
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Dambulla |
The Great Cave Temple of Dambulla is 100 to 150 meters above the road in the southern part of the village of Dambulla. The gigantic rock towering more than 160 m above the surrounding area is 1.5 km around its base and 550 km summit.
These caves were the refuge of King Walagamba when he was exiled for 14 years. On his return to the throne in the 1st century BC, King Walagamba had a magnificent rock temple built in Dambulla. Dambulla too has been designated as a World Heritage site. The caves feature a mixture of religious and worldly paintings and sculptures, several reclining Buddha statues and a 15 m long sculpture of the dying Buddha. The famous Dambulla frescoes on the walls and ceiling dates back to the 15th-18th Centuries. |
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Kandy |
Kandy is the 2nd largest city, 115 kilometers inland from Colombo, climatically a world away due to its 500-meter altitude. The hill capital of Kandy was the last stronghold of the ancient Sinhala Kings against the British Empire.
The focus of Kandy is its lake with the Temple of the Tooth "Dalada Maligawa". The surrounding hills are perched looking down on the town. The city of Kandy, which is also known as 'Senkadagala', features the most sacred of all Buddhist shrines - the Temple of the Tooth or the 'Dalada Maligawa'. The Dalada Maligawa holds the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha and is surrounded by the Bogambara Lake. Kandy is particularly famed for the great Kandy Esala Perehara (a Pageant of Elephants and Dancers), which is over ten days in the month of Esala (August) having many attractions to justify. |
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Mahiyangana |
Polonnaruwa is 218 kilometers from Colombo, yet another well planned medieval city defended by enclosing walls, graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes which bears witness to a glorious past.
A dominant feature of the city, is the vast irrigation lake of 5940 acres aptly named "Parakrama Samudraya" or the sea of Parakrama after its royal builder King Parakramabahu depicting an example of the advanced engineering and construction skills prevailent during the ancient times. This gigantic reservoir was built to collect rain water, which did not permit a drop of water to go waste. Polonnaruwa has both an old town and a spread out new town. |
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Mihintale |
Hikkaduwa is a fishing village located 98 km away from Colombo and is the most popular of the beach centers in the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka.
Hikkaduwa is blessed with natural attractions of wide and sun kissed beaches and the crystal clear ocean. The attraction in Hikkaduwa is the magnificent coral gardens populated with turtles and exotic fish, snorkeling and scuba diving facilities offering the best to the water sports lovers. For the wildlife enthusiasts, a lake with many varieties of colourful birds is located in Hikkaduwa. Visitors can also take a safari down the Madhu River in Balapitiya, or witness the moon stone mines and cinnamon plantation in Meetiyagoda. Hikkaduwa is also a town of historical value, a short trip inland will bring you to the Gangarama Maha Vihara - a Buddhist temple which consists of many educational paintings. |
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Pidurangala |
Ruins and remains found on the hill at Ritigala have led archaeologists to believe that a monastery existed in the 04th century B.C.
It was believed to be used as a fortress during this era where pre-Christian inscriptions are also found. The Ritigala strict nature reserve is a 'beautiful' mountain range located in the north central province of Sri Lanka covered with thick forest, which is well known for its stock of over 200 species of medicinal plants many of which are endemic to Sri Lanka and a few endemic to Ritigala. |
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Polonnaruwa |
Polonnaruwa is 218 kilometers from Colombo, yet another well planned medieval city defended by enclosing walls, graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes which bears witness to a glorious past.
A dominant feature of the city, is the vast irrigation lake of 5940 acres aptly named "Parakrama Samudraya" or the sea of Parakrama after its royal builder King Parakramabahu depicting an example of the advanced engineering and construction skills prevailent during the ancient times. This gigantic reservoir was built to collect rain water, which did not permit a drop of water to go waste. Polonnaruwa has both an old town and a spread out new town. |
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Ritigala |
Ruins and remains found on the hill at Ritigala have led archaeologists to believe that a monastery existed in the 04th century B.C.
It was believed to be used as a fortress during this era where pre-Christian inscriptions are also found. The Ritigala strict nature reserve is a 'beautiful' mountain range located in the north central province of Sri Lanka covered with thick forest, which is well known for its stock of over 200 species of medicinal plants many of which are endemic to Sri Lanka and a few endemic to Ritigala. |
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Sigiriya |
The spectacular Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, 19 kilometers North East of Dambulla is one of Sri Lanka's major attractions.Some theories affirm that Sigiriya was a Mahayana Buddhist monastery or that it was both citadel and hermitage at different times.
The Rock was the Fortress of the "King Kasyapa" who murdered his father and stole the throne from his elder brother who was the rightful heir to the throne. Kasyapa built his fortress in this 182-meter high rock to protect himself from his enemies. The Nigeria rock consists of the central rock, rising 200 meters above the surrounding plain, and the two rectangular precincts on the East (90 hectares) and the West (40 hectares), surrounded by two moats and three ramparts. Today Sigiriya is famous for its 'Mirror Wall', which consists of poems and paragraphs carved by visitors to the rock many years ago and for its magnificent frescoes of shapely be-jewelled maidens, vibrant colours and the water garden similar to the Ajantha frescoes of India. Sigiriya is in fact, the best-preserved city center in Asia from the first millennium and has been named as a UNESCO world heritage site and 08th Wonder of the World. |
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Yapahuwa |
As foreign invasions took place, the Capital of Sri Lanka started shifting south. The ancient city of Yapahuwa is one such city.
This rock fortress rising 100 meters from a plain is similar in concept to Sigiriya, which was built in the 13th century B.C.
Yapahuwa's magnificently carved ornamental staircase, which leads up to the ledge holding its Royal Palace, is its best point. The rock itself stands at 91 metres high and the ruins of the steps are adorned with images of musicians and dancers. |
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