Anuradapura

The date of the foundation of Anuradapura is not known by any one. Anuradapura lay deserted for hundred of years ,the ruins found in the jungle of the Dry Zone of Srilanka. The visitor might think the lost city was brought back to light. But Anuradapura , the city of 113 Kings was never forgotten to the people in Srilanka. The memory of the Kings of ancient Srilanka is still alive throug out the legends. The sacred Boo tree under which lord Buddha himself attained Enlightenment, was still alive in Anuradapura. All the teachings of the Buddha and the order of Buddhist Monks still survived in the greatest monastic city .
Anuradapura was founded by a minister of King Vijaya called Anuradha later this city had become a town of importance. Finally when King Pandukabhaya came to the throne, in the 4th century B.C , he established his capital there under the constellation ' Anuradha" at the auspicious time. He built the dam of the Basawak Kulam to the west of the city and laid out a carefully planed city, with four suburbs of living quarters for different castes and professions. He is also recorded as establishing a palace, and as building shrines and hospitals. He allotted ground for a cemetery. and employed 150 undertakers, as well as 500 street cleaners, and 200 sewerage workers, which give some idea of the population of the town.

1. Srimaha Bodhi

It was under a Bodhi Tree at Bodh-Gaya in 558 B.C that the Buddha attained enlightenment. The Bodhi tree at Anuradapura was grown from a cutting of original tree. and is the Oldest historical tree in the world. The Bodhi Tree Garden is the most sacred place in Sri Lanka. and there always many pilgrims in the Garden around tree.

2. Loha Pasada - The Brazen Palace.

The Loha Pasada, or Brazan Palace was first founded by King Tissa in the 3rd century B.C. as a chapter- house for the Bodhi - Tree but it was made into a palace by King Duthagamunu for the monks of the Mahavihara. King Dutugamunu built a nine stored building with a thousand rooms. which had a roof of copper tiles from which the building takes its name, In the center of a pavilion gails adorned with the seven gems., stood a shining beauteous throne of ivory with a seat of mountain crystal, and in the ivory with a seat of moon in silver and stars in pearls,
This building was of wood and it was burnt down in a fire. Today you will see the ruins of this palace.

3. The Mahatupa - Ruwanweli Dagaba.

A dagaba or thupa (relic chamber) is a dome which is built over sacred relics, the bodily remains of Buddha. The Mahathupa of Great Thupa is today known as the Ruwanweli Dagaba. The Chronicle tells us that the king asked for designs and estimates from master builders, and chose one out of the five hundred who submitted tenders. The winning architect when asked for his design, called for a golden bowl full of water scooped us some water in his hand , and then let it fall into the bowl. A perfect bubble formed , and he sail "Thus will I make it" So the bubble shape dagaba was designed, The building was commenced on the full-moon day of May. 144B.C Elephants must have carried out a great deal of the heavy work of construction.

4. Refectory with rice boat.

To the east of the Mahathupa is the remains of a refectory or dining hall. It contains a large rice" boat." a trough from which monks took cooked rice donated to the monastery in thir alms- bowls. The trough has been calculated to hold enough rice to fill 3800 begging bowls,

5. Bathing Pond

To the west of the Mhathupa is a restored bathing pond. The walls of the pond descend in stepped stone slabs to the bottom which is of solid rock. Monks generally bathed on appointed days of the week. and hot baths are also found at various places in Anuradapura.

6. The Jetawana Dagoba

To the east of the Mahathupa lies an enormous brick dagaba. the Jetavana , the dagoba was originally built to a height of 120 meters making it the 3rd largest building in the world at that time. The two taller building were the biggest of Egyptian pyramids, built two thousand years ago.