The “great Sacred City of Anuradhapura”, as it is termed by UNESCO, is best known for its ancient conglomeration of temples and ruins at the very heart of northern Sri Lanka. And indeed the epithet seems worthy, even from the slightest glance at the place’s long and consecrated history.
Since the 4rd century BC it was here that the mighty kings of the Sinhalese made their stand against invaders from India and the rest of the sub-continent, laying the groundwork for the separate and distinct cultures of Sri Lanka that persevere today.
But the site is more than just a historical ruin, it’s a religious one too (hence the ‘Sacred’). Right at its centre blooms the great Bodhi Tree of Buddha, grown from a sprig of the Indian tree under which Siddhartha Gautama himself achieved enlightenment. Then there are the massive dagobas (stupas) and the sprawling ancient temple complexes, not to mention the sea of modern-day shrines that continue to come up all around.
There’s also a 20th century town of the same name nearby, but as any Anuradhapura tourist guide will tell you, it’s the ancient city and its religious mystery that really draw and deserve the attention here.