Sri maha Bodhi

Abhayagiri Stupa

Eth Pokuna

Isurumuniya

Jetavana Stupa

Kuttam Pokuna

Samadhi Buddha statue

Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
Go and See the Oldest Tree in the World
And Over 2000 Years Old Ruins

Anuradhapura, one of the most extensive ruins in the world, and is very popular as one of its most scared pilgrimage cities in the world today. Today Anuradhapura is the main city of the North Central Province, situated 225 Kms away from Colombo on the main road to Jaffna and is the Sri Lanka’s first capital founded about the 4th century BC.

According to the Mahavansa, the Sinhala Buddhist chronicle, the city was a model of planning and well-constructed city. Kings of Sri Lanka thought that their utmost duty was to protect people from hunger and they realised that the rivers and fertile soil alone were not enough. Thus there arose a superb engineering system of tanks and canals centred round of Anuradhapura even surpassing some of the present day technologies.

Anuradhapura was to continue for six hundred years as the national capital. But internecine struggles for the royal succession grew, and it became more and more vulnerable to the pressures of South Indian political expansion. The city was finally abandoned and the capital withdrawn to more secluded areas.

This sacred city was established around a cutting from the "tree of enlightenment", Buddha's fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. Anuradhapura, a Ceylonese political and religious capital that flourished for 1,300 years, was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Hidden away in thick jungle for a long time, the splendid site, with its palaces, monasteries and monuments, is once again accessible.

Anuradhapura is one of the great monastic centre as well as a royal capital, with magnificent monasteries rising to many stories, all roofed with gilt bronze or tiles of burnt clay glazed in brilliant colours. To the north of the city, encircled by great walls and containing elaborate bathing ponds, carved balustrades and moonstones.

There are 20 key world popular religious units in Anuradhapura and you will never see anywhere in the world and will definitely find how interested are they from the world ancient history perspective.
1. Sri Maha Bodi (The Sacred Bo-Tree) has grown from a cutting of the Bo tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment is over 2250 years old and is the world’s oldest tree.
2. Abhayagiri Vihara, the Northern Monastery, Anuradhapura is one of the largest Buddhist Institutions in the world today
3. Residential complex, the residences as seen through the porter’s lodge. (The monastery had 5000 monks in residence.)
4. Prasada Stupa, stepped stupas of the prasada type are rare in the world.
5. Abhayagiri stupa, the tallest brick edifice of the ancient world originally about 350 feet high.
6. Ruined Relic House, Abhayagiri a very elegantly constructed edifice with refined details and delicate sculptures to enhance the design
7. Bo tree shrine, displays many phases of constructional activities in the earliest being attributed to the formation of the Vihara in the first century B.C.
8. Seated Buddha, the image situated at the site of an ancient bodhi-tree shrine.
9. Residence of a chief monk was also the teaching unit where the pupils were guided their academic and religious teaching.
10. Urinal stone is a elaborately decorated and exceptional piece. The fact that it was used was evident from soakage pots found below the urinal trough.
11. The biggest rice-bowl in the world
12. The Elephant pond, equivalent in area to 6 modern Olympic swimming pools, is perhaps the largest man-made pond in the world.
13. Kuttam Pokuna, twin pond, very elegant, beautiful and unusual design of two baths joined to form a single bathing complex
14. Naga symbol is generally associated with water and often found at water inlets or outlets. Nagaraja, is one of the finest examples of an entrance guards tone
15. Moonstone, the is one of the most exquisite moonstones found in Sri Lanka
16. The elegant Samadhi Budda image, this image is counted among the finest Buddha figures sculptured in the world.
17. Magnificant Isurumuni Lovers, 6th Century Gupta style carving18. Anuradhapura Thurparama stupa, one of the oldest in the world19. Magnificent Jetavan complex and stupa
20. The Ruwanwelisaya, standing at 300 feet, is the oldest but smallest of the three giant edifies.

1.Sri Maha Bodi (The Sacred Bo-Tree) has grown from a cutting of the Bo tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment is over 2250 years old and is the world’s oldest tree.

This Bo Tree is over 2250 years old and planted on this spot in Sri Lanka, bowl and all. The tree itself is not a very impressive specimen, but it is, nevertheless, protected by armed guards and venerated by almost everyone for its association with the source of Buddhism. Said to be the very tree brought to Sri Lanka as a gift from the Buddhist Indian Emperor Ashok in the 3rd century BC, this huge specimen of sacred Bo tree, has a real claim to be genuinely the oldest tree in the world. It has been guarded by an uninterrupted series of guardian monks since it was planted. It stands at the crossroads of Sri Maha Bodi Mawatha Mihindu Road and Kurunegala Road and is the best place to start exploring the sacred city.

2. Abhayagiri Vihara, the Northern Monastery, Anuradhapura

Covering approximately 200 hectares, Abhayagiri was one of the largest Buddhist Institutions in the ancient world and of five major viharas in Anuradhapura. Surrounding the humped dagaba, Abhayagiri Vihara was a seat of the Northern Monastery, or Uttara Vihara. The term Abhayagiri Vihara means not only a complex of monastic buildings, but also a fraternity of Buddhist monks, which maintained its own historical records, traditions and way of life. Founded in the second century B.C., it had grown into an international institution by the first century of this era, attracting scholars from all over the world. Covering approximately 200 hectares, Abhayagiri Vihara had all the components required by doctrine for a Buddhist temple. A road access system anticipating modern concepts of town planning has been uncovered, with the highway from the city to the north running through the monastery.A visit to Abhayagiri museum is must for any visitor. You can witness Coins, Ceremonial bowl, Ardhanarinatevera, and many more historical findings.

3. Abhyagiri Monk Residential complex, the residences as seen through the porter’s lodge. (The monastery had 5000 monks in residence.)

Established during 5th – 8th Centuries this remarkable residence as seen through the porter’s lodge. The planning of the early architects was to provide a commanding view of the whole complex as one entered the premises.

4. Prasada Stupa, stepped stupas of the prasada type are rare in the world.

Built during the 8th – 9th centuries, steps of Prasada Stupa are very rare in the world. This has a flight of steps designed to provide access to the upper storeys.

5. Abhayagiri stupa, the tallest brick edifice of the ancient world originally about 400 feet high.

The centrepiece of the monastery and its four fraternities, Abhayagiri Stupa, consisting of outer and inner terraces enclosed by walls, is over 75 metres high and 110 metres in diameter as its widest point. The outer terrace was strewn with sand, while the inner terrace was stone-paved. The rainwater falling on this vast stretch of land was drained onto four ponds built near the four entrances to the stupa grounds. This stupa as it stands today is the original as last renovated by Parakramabahu I.

6. Ruined Relic House, Abhayagiri a very elegantly constructed edifice with refined details and delicate sculptures to enhance the design

7. Bo tree shrine

displays many phases of constructional activities in the earliest being attributed to the formation of the vihara in the first century B.C.

8. Seated Buddha, the image situated at the site of an ancient bodhi-tree shrine.

Seated Buddha, Abhayagiri, Anuradhapura was built during the 6th – 8th centuries. The image is situated at the site of an ancient Bodhi-tree shrine.

9. Residence of a chief monk, Abhayagiri, Anuradhapura

This was built around the 5th- 8th centuries. The residence of a chief monk was also the teaching unit where the pupils were guided their academic and religious teaching.

10. Urinal stone

Is a elaborately decorated and exceptional piece. The fact that it was used was evident from soakage pots found below the urinal trough.

11. The biggest rice-bowl in the world

The Chinese monk called Fa-hsien, who lived at Abhayagiri for nearly 2 years, reports that there were 5000 monks living there at that time. Within the refectory excavated and conserved by the Cultural Triangle project is a stone trough with a capacity of 5000 alms bowls, indicating that this trough was used to contain boiled rice, or alternatively, to store uncooked rice offered as alms to the bhikkhus.

12. The Elephant pond, measures to equivalent of 6 modern Olympic swimming poolsThis is a colossal bathing pool as it measures the equivalent of 6 modern Olympic swimming pools, is perhaps the largest man-made pond in the world.

A flight of steps leads down to the pond from the centre of each side wall. To the north and south, underground water conduits have been found which probably supplied water from neighbouring tanks. One such conduit continues to function during the rainy season even today.

13. Kuttam Pokuna, twin pond, very elegant, beautiful and another hydrologic engineering marvels of the ancient Sri Lanka.

Kuttam Pokuna or the twin ponds are another hydrologic engineering marvels of the ancient Sri Lanka This beautiful twin-pond was built by King Walagmba in 6th – 8th century for the aid of the monks residing in the “Abayagiri” Temple complex. Ancient Anuradhapura is full of pleasurable ponds & the specialty of Kuttam Pokuna is that the two ponds, if you look at these two seemingly identical ponds of Kuttam Pokuna carefully, you would realisethat one is larger than the other (by about 12 m in length) architecture, has been connected by one earth grinded makeshift pipe. Nevertheless, the ponds of Kuttam Pokuna are positioned in such a way that they appear almost the same. Although the design and lines of the Kuttam Pokuna are simple, the effect is nothing less than impressive. The process starts as the water fills the smaller pond, & the bigger pond will get filled through a small pipe grinded through the floor of the smaller one. Both ponds will get emptied for cleaning through an earthen pipe connected to a gully made on the floor of the smaller pond. Water is carefully channelled to gush out of a lion's head, and through a sophisticated system of filtration. At the far end of the Kuttam Pokuna ponds is a system to trap mud and dirt. Water flows into a pit, where the mud and dirt sinks to the bottom.It ensures clean water flow into the Kuttam Pokuna ponds. The monks perform their ablutions under the protective gaze of a five-hooded naga, the cobra believed to bring good fortune. Steps leads down to the two ponds while around them are shallow pools to cool off one's feet befond diving into the ponds. The Kuttam Pokuna demostrates not only great engineering feat by also workmanship and artistry of the ancient Sinhalese builders. the Kuttam Pokuna is one of the loveliest ancient architectural wonder. Not only is it functional, but it was also built with an eye for beauty.

14. Naga symbol

Is generally associated with water and often found at water inlets or outlets.Nagaraja, is one of the finest examples of an entrance guards tone

15. Moonstones find here are the most exquisite moonstones found in Sri Lanka.

The moonstone is a permanent feature of the buddhist building of all historical periods. Moonstones and Guardstones are generally found at entrances or at the bottom of stairways to temples, shrines, dagobas, and other important buildings. These are considered to be the most characteristic forms of classical Sinhala sculpture. The design of the moonstone has undergone many changes over time, But the moonstones show the highest level of creativity closer to the end of the Anuradhapura Era.Moonstone is a semi-circular slab of stone with richly carved bands of animals, lion, bull, elephant and horse in particular. A close scrutiny of these bands will disclose that each pose of each animal is slightly different to the previous pose, almost like the adjoining "cels" in a Disney cartoon. The next is a circle of a floral pattern (“liyawela”). Next is a line of swans with a twig of flower and a leaf on their mouth. Next is again a floral pattern and at the centre is lotus with petals all around the semi circle on the moonstone. One interpretation is that the out ring of fire represents the never ending life and the pains associated with it. The four animals represent the four noble truths (“Chathurarya Sathya”) of Buddha. Next is a motif of swans. It is said that the swan is capable of separating out milk from a mixture of water and milk. He who understand (conquer) four noble truths can easily filter the good from the bad like the swan filters out milk. Once you do that you are capable of attaining the “Nibbana” represented by the lotus.

16. World famous Samadhi Budda image, this image is counted among the finest Buddha figures sculptured in the world today.

Built in 3rd century A.D. image, is the sculpting of a genius. The image has broad shoulders and a lion – like expression that depicts neither happiness nor sorrow, but reflects a contemplative disposition – a prerequisite for meditation. Once Javaharlal Neru (first Prime Minister in India) wrote that he found solace during his imprisonment by looking at a photograph of this statue. Sculptured out of dolomite, it is Gupta in style and execution. The eyes were originally studded with gems, and a path of paint found under the shoulder is evidence that the entire figure may have been painted.

17. Magnificant Isurumuni Lovers, 6th Century Gupta style carving

Isurumuniya temple, in Anuradhapura, built in the 3rd century B.C., was the first repository of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. This small group of striking black rocks is one of the most attractive and peaceful places in town. The temple is known best for its rock carvings, the most popular being ‘The Lovers’. There are many theories offered as to their identity. It also has some outstanding sculpture. The temple carved out of solid rock, houses a large statue of the seated Buddha. You can climb up steps to the top of the rock above the temple to get a good view of the countryside. There is a cleft in the rock, which is full of bats; they are fascination to watch. On the terraces outside is a small square pool; they are also some beautifully carved elephants, showing great individual character. Note the carving beside the main entrance just above the water level. The figures may represent Dutugemunu's son Saliya and the law caste (Sadol Kula) maiden Asokamala whom he loved. It's known that he gave up the throne for her.

18. Anuradhapura Thurparama stupa

The earliest monument found in Sri Lanka is the ‘Stupa’, which is described as a hemispherical dome surmounted with a spire. During the time of Emperor Ashoka (304 - 232 BC) of India , numerous ‘Stupas’ were built at hallowed sites in India. In these were enshrined relics of the Buddha which people venerated. When it was observed that there were no Buddha relics in Sri Lanka, the king, Devanampiyatissa, on Sage Mahinda’s suggestion, appealed to Emperor Ashoka to send some relics. He responded to the king's request and sent the right collarbone relic of the Buddha. King Devanampiyatissa (307-267 BC) built the Thuparama dagaba to enshrine the relic. This was thus the oldest stupa built in Sri Lanka. Originally it was in the shape of a heap of paddy but as restorations were done in later years, it took the form as seen today. It has a diameter of 59 feet 6 inches at the base. As the name suggests, Thuparama comprised a ‘stupa’ and an ‘arama’, a residential complex. Ruins of such a complex can be seen within an area of over three acres around the ‘Stupa’.

19. Jetavana stupa and monastery complex

The area where the Jetavana monastery stands was originally known as the Nandana Pleasure Grove, mentioned for the first time in connection with Thera Mahinda, the son of Emperor Asoka, the renowned ruler of India of the 3rd Century B.C.

Some of the key features of this majestic creation;

- Jetavana tallest stupa in the world The focal point of the monastery complex, and its most striking feature is the Jjetavana stupa. At the time of collapse of the Roman Empire in the fourth century A.D, this was the 3rd tallest monument in the world, being surpassed only by the two tallest pyramids at Gizeh. Over 120 metres in height, it is the tallest stupa in the world, and indeed the tallest brick building ever completed by man, containing approximately 94 million baked bricks. The religious symbolism and the technical achievements of this extraordinary edifice are the international appeal and study fascinating to man.
- Relic House, Jetavana
- Residential Complex, this was probably the residence of the chief monk of the vihara, designed in the classical layout of a residential complex
- Chapter house, Jetavana – The storeyed edifies testing on grant stone columns, which have been despoiled during recent periods
- Ruined Relic House, a very elegantly constructed edifice with refined details and delicate sculptures to enhance the design
- Residential complex, the residences as seen through the porter’s lodge.
- Prasada Stupa, sten despoiled during recent periods
- Nagaraja, Jetavana, an unfinished guard stone that was being prepared for the residence of the chief monk at Jetavana
- Image House, this was probably a vaulted image house with a colossal Buddha figure in brick masonry and stucco,. Only pedestal and the giant stone reliquary is found today
- Buddhist Railing Site is a particularly interesting example of early Buddhist architecture. The rectangular structure, 43 by 34 metres in extent, has a stone railing consisting of seven horizontal members rising to a height of 1.6 metres.
- Conference Hall, situated to the south of the stupa, lies within a scared enclosure measuring 115 by 86 metres.
- The Golden book of the Prajnaparamita stta was discovered buried in the ground in a pot for safety. It is a text of Mahayana Buddhism, which is worshiped.
Very rare Jetavana treasure and the artefacts include imported ceramic ware, as well as locally manufactured vessels whose shapes, forms and functions are conceptually influenced by countries North West and East of Sri Lanka, Roman, Indian and other foreign coins, more than 30,000 beads fabricated from a wide range of materials – clay, glass, stone, precious and semi precious stones, crystal, agate, carnelian, ivory, bone, shell, gold and silver and many other items which you will be amazed to see here.

20. Ruwamwelisaya, standing at 300 feet, is the oldest but smallest of the three giant edifies

The Ruwanwelisaya, standing at 300 feet, is the oldest but smallest of the three giant edifies in to house the relics, stupas were built. Standing at 300 feet, Ruwanweliseya, or the "Great Stupa" is regarded as one of the most important stupas at Anuradhapura in north-central Sri Lanka: Much restored, the great dome, circled with old columns, is still to be seen in Anuradhapura, now a great park. A famous King Dutugemunu built it in the 2nd century B.C. The architect ingeniously combined the Buddhist philosophy in the architectural conception. King Dutugemunu conceived this as a bubble of milk: representing life, which will burst in no time just like the fragility of our lives. Its dome represents the vastness of the doctrine; the four facets of the box oh top represents the four noble truths. The concentric rings there after indicate the noble eightfold path that leads man to illumination. During major festivals it is crowded with hundreds of thousands of devotees in family groups, who picnic happily among the ruins and offer puja at the Bodhi tree. There are other important monuments nearby at Mihintale, the site of Mahinda's first sermon to King Devanampiya-Tissa. The ruins of the later capital at Polonnaruwa (9th century AD onwards), showing Hindu and Mahayana cultic influence, are yet more elaborate. Ruvanweliseya is opposite the museum. It was begun to house relics; priests from all over India were recorded as being present at the enshrinement of the relics in 140 BC. A huge dagaba, It is surrounded by the remains of lots of buildings. You can see the columns often no more than 500 cm in height dotted around in the grass underneath huge rain trees where monkeys play. The dome is 80m in diameter at its base and 53m high. A small passage leads to the relic chamber. At the cardinal points are four ' chapels’, which were reconstructed in 1873, when renovation started. The restoration has flattened the shape of the dome, and some of the painting is of questionable style, but it remains a remarkably striking monument. Today, you may find watching the dagaba being "white washed"- an interesting spectacle.

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