Anuradhapura

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Anuradhapura was an early capital of Sri Lanka and remains one of the island’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage centres. Huge brick stupas, reservoirs, monasteries and carved stone remains are distributed across a broad archaeological area rather than enclosed within one site. A sacred fig tree, grown from a cutting linked to the Buddha’s enlightenment, continues to attract worshippers and gives the ancient city a living religious focus.

Moving between separate sacred zones reveals the true scale of the ancient capital. Monumental ruins stand among trees, ponds and active temples, while pilgrims, monks and local families share the sites with visitors. Cycling or driving between monuments also shows how water management, royal patronage and monastic life shaped the city over many centuries.