Once one of the grandest monastic cities the word has ever seen. It was established in the 4th century BC rising to prominence with the arrival of Buddhism. Anuradhapura was earlier the capital of the Island (in ancient times) and most of the Kings who ruled Sri Lanka resided in this vast city. The city is now named as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

History of Anurathapura

On the contrary to the historical data that indicates that the city is founded in the 5 century BC archeological data puts that date back to far as the 10 century BC. However, it was King Pandukabhaya who planned the layout of the city and made it his capital in the 4th century BC. He constructed many reservoirs and shrines. The city reached its highest magnificence by the beginning of the Christian era. The city boasted some of the most complex irrigation systems in the ancient world.