Colombo Trip Overview
Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well preserved ruins of an ancient Sinhala civilization.The city, now a World Heritage site, was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries.You’ll be able to discover the archaeological, historical and UNESCO world heritage sites in this private day tour.Guide will pick you up from your plcae and take you to Thuparamaya,one of the most important place Ruwanwalisaya and Jethawanaramaya letter you will visit Sri mahadoddi and Kuttan Pokuna after that visit Samadhi buddha.your Anuradhapura tour will finish here.
Additional Info
Duration: 11 to 12 hours
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well preserved ruins of an ancient Sinhala civilization.The city, now a World Heritage site, was the centre of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries.You’ll be able to discover the archaeological, historical and UNESCO world heritage sites in this private day tour.Guide will pick you up from your plcae and take you to Thuparamaya,one of the most important place Ruwanwalisaya and Jethawanaramaya letter you will visit Sri mahadoddi and Kuttan Pokuna after that visit Samadhi buddha.your Anuradhapura tour will finish here.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Dagoba of Thuparama, Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
Thuparamaya the oldest Stupa of Sri Lankan History is a sacred obeisance in Anuradhapura Sri lanka. This is the first stupa to be built in the country after the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.Built in the time of king Devamnampiyatissa 250BC
210BC this was a stupa as well as an Aramic complex monastery. Today ruins of this complex covers nearly 3 ½ acres.The stupa was built on the instructions of Mahinda Thero who brought Buddhism to the island to enshrine the right collar bone of Lord Buddha.On this stupa you can see a unique architectural feature called vatadage, a stupa house.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Ruwanwelisaya, Abhayawewa Rd, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
Considered to be an icon of architectural glory in ancient Sri Lanka, Ruwanwelisaya is one of the world’s tallest monuments, standing at 103 m 338 ft. and with a circumference of 290 m 951 ft. And also holds a place as one of the Solosmasthana the 16 sacred sites of veneration and the Atamasthana the eight sacred sites in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura, which are places believed to have been visited by Buddha during his three visits to Sri Lanka.Two quarts or one Drona of the Gothama Buddha’s relics are enshrined in the stupa, which is the largest collection of his relics anywhere. It was built by King Dutugemunu c. 140 B.C., who became King of all Sri Lanka after a war in which the Chola King Elāra Ellalan was defeated. It is also known as Mahathupa, Swarnamali Chaitya, Suvarnamali Mahaceti in Pali and Rathnamali Dagaba.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Jethawanaramaya Stupa, Watawandana Road B341, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
Jethawana Stupa is the largest stupa in the Sri Lanka. It was originally 400 feet 122 meters in height and was the third tallest building in the world at that time. The Jetavanaramaya Buddhist reliquary monument, located in the ruins of Jetavana monastery in the world heritage city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. At 122 metres 400 ft it was the world’s tallest stupa and the third tallest structure in the world when it was built by King Mahasena of Anuradhapura 273,301.
Even today as a brick monument, Jethawanaramaya still remains the tallest of its kind in the world.As all other buildings in Anuradhapura this too was subjected to destruction by North Indian Invaders. Then when the Anuradhapura was finally abandoned as the capital in the 11th century this stupa with others were covered by the jungle. King Parakramabahu 12th century in the Pollonaruwa era again tried to renovate this stupa and it was rebuilt to the current height, a reduction from the original height.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sri Maha Boodhi Temple, Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
The Sacred Bo tree Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka is the oldest living tree in documented history of the world. It is a sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which Buddha enlightened. It was planted in 288 BCF and is the oldest living human planted tree in the world with a known planting date. It was brought from Buddhagaya India by the Ven. This sacred tree has been planted in the historical Maha Megha Vana Royal Park in Anuradhapura in the month of ‘Unduvap’ december, 236 BC, according to the written facts. The sacred Bodhi sapling has been ceremonially brought here by Arahant Sanghamitta Maha Theree, under instructions of Arahant Mihindu Maha Thero. King Devanampiyatissa who ruled Sri Lanka in this period has planted this Bodhi tree with great pageantry in the Maha Megha Vana Royal Park dedicated to the venerable bhikkhus. The present age of the Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is 2,247 years.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Twin Baths (Kuttam Pokuna), Watawandana Road, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
One of the best specimen of bathing tanks or pools in ancient Sri Lanka is the pair of pools known as Kuttam Pokuna Twin Ponds Pools. Kuttam Pokuna or the twin ponds are another hydrologic engineering marvels of the ancient Sri Lanka. These two ponds belong to the Abayagiri aramic complex and probably been used by the monks for bathing. The origins of these ponds are not known but it is thought to have been built during the reign of King Aggabodhi I 575,608.The said pair of pools were built by the Sinhalese in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura. These are considered one of the significant achievements in the field of hydrological engineering and outstanding architectural and artistic creations of the ancient Sinhalese.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Samadhi Statue, Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
Samadi Statue is depicting the Dyana Mudra Meditation Position at mahamevna Park, Anuradhapura is regarded as one of the finest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka, situated amongst the extensive remains of the ancient religious city of Anuradhapura.It is thought to be done during the 3rd or the 4th century. It is made out of dolomite marble and stands 7 feet 3 inches 2.21 metres in height. It was found in 1886 at Mahamevnāwa Park. The Buddha is depicted in the position of the Dhyana Mudra, the posture of meditation associated with his first Enlightenment. It is similar to the Toluvila statue from the same period. It is similar to Gupta period Buddha images, it is believed that originally the image was gilded and had inlaid eyes made of precious gems. It is likely that it was one of the four statues around a sacred Bodhi tree shrine. This is the only one that has survived largely intact.
Duration: 30 minutes
