Anuradhapura combines a long history as a capital with museums and sacred sites in specific locations. Its historical connections span a 1,300-year political and religious role, as well as places whose settings are defined by a lake, a grove or an ancient monastic complex. If you are looking for a hotel in Anuradhapura, these different focal points can help you decide which aspect of the destination matters most for your trip.
A long history as a capital
Anuradhapura was a political and religious capital of Ceylon for 1,300 years. The city was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Its long period as a capital and the end of that era are two points in time that frame the history of the city's sites.
The sequence of capitals can also be understood in the context of the wider destination of the North Central Province: after Anuradhapura was destroyed in 993, Polonnaruwa became Sri Lanka's second capital. Anuradhapura's long period as a capital and Polonnaruwa's subsequent role thus offer two distinct historical perspectives on the region.
Museums and their different connections
The Puravidu Bhavana (Archaeological Museum) in Anuradhapura was founded in 1947, largely on the initiative of Dr. Senarath Paranavitana. The date for the Anuradhapura Folk Museum is more precise: it was founded on 22 August 1971 as a provincial museum under the Department of National Museums. The two founding histories differ both in timing and in the context they describe: one highlights a major initiative, the other the establishment of a provincial museum.
The Abhayagiriya Museum is located within the ancient Abhayagiriya monastic complex in Anuradhapura. Here, the focus is on the museum's location, while the other two can be described through their founding histories. This is a useful distinction when choosing a cultural focus: the museums' histories are not the same as their locations within the historical setting.
Sacred sites and their locations
Isurumuniya Temple lies south of Sri Maha Bodhi on the shore of Tissa Wewa. Lovamahapaya, also known as the Brazen Palace, is one of Anuradhapura's eight sacred sites and is located in the Mahamegha Grove between the sacred Bodhi tree and the Ruvanweli Stupa. Their points of reference differ: for Isurumuniya, they are the lakeshore and its southern location; for Lovamahapaya, its status as one of the eight sacred sites and its position in the grove between two landmarks.
Siri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura is considered the world's oldest historical tree. According to tradition, Theree Sangamitta brought it to Sri Lanka; King Devanampiyatissa planted it at Mahameghawana in Anuradhapura under the guidance of Arahant Mihindu Maha Thero. Its attributed distinction and the account of its planting offer two different historical connections to the same tree.
The North Central Province in context
Other cultural sites also offer a glimpse of the wider destination of the North Central Province. Gal Vihara comprises four Buddha statues carved out of a granite rock face. The Avukana Buddha statue, near Kalawewa in Anuradhapura District, is an 11.36-metre-high standing figure carved from rock and set on a lotus pedestal. It is believed to have been created during the reign of King Dhatusena in the 5th century AD. These regional connections complement Anuradhapura's history without equating the city's sites with other cultural sites.
Discover more destinations: Medawachchiya, Kekirawa, Mihintale, Pahala Maragahawewa, Habarana.
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