Anuradhapura is the capital city of North Central Province and one of the most important ancient capitals of Sri Lanka. It is famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization. Also it is believed that from the fourth century BC until the beginning of the 11th century AD it was the capital of the Sinhalese. During this period it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles (40 km²).
The city had some of the most complex irrigation systems of the ancient world, situated in the dry zone of the country the administration built many tanks to irrigate the land. Most of these tanks still survive.
The city also contains a sacred Bo-Tree which is said to date back to the year 245 BC, is considered to be the pinnacle of Buddhist philosophy. Anuradhapura is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.
Location : Approx 1 Hour from Sigiriya
