Sights and interesting places of Anuradhapura. The Holy City of Anuradhapura - the tricks of a free ticket Ruins of the Pavilions of Padanagara

And again we are glad to see you on the pages. Today, having left the north of Sri Lanka, namely we went towards sacred Anuradhapura city with many ancient monuments cultural heritage, it is also called Old Town, from where in 1950 all residents were relocated to the new part of the city. And since we are not very rich travelers, we will share with you the story of how we managed to see all the sights for free.

Bus: Anuradhapura can be reached in 5 hours by bus (it arrives at the bus station in New Town).

• Option 1 - after the airport in Colombo we get to bus station airport (on foot, “knock-knock”). Direct bus from this station there is no link to Anuradhapura, but from there you can get to Colombo itself and then change to direct bus No. 5.
• Option 2 is to get to the bus station in Negombo, change to a bus to Anuradhapura or to Kurunegala, where you can change to another bus again. Straight the bus is coming via Puttalam. You can also get a transfer through Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala.

Having decided to try public transport, we took a bus from Jaffna for 100 rupees (26 rubles).

Having reached the town of Kilinochi (from Kilinochi to Anuradhapura 144 km), we already hitchhiked, but you can use the train (280 rupees per person).

How to get to the holy city of Anuradhapura for free.

Since we got up early, we still had a lot of time to hitchhike to the desired point and see more sights. Basically everything interesting cities located on one large territory, where a single admission ticket costs 3200 rupees (800 rubles) or $25. We didn’t yet know how many passages there were attractions they cost, although I have heard, in some cases they are very overpriced. And the point is not at all that Sri Lanka has the most unique attractions in all of Asia, it’s just that the state policy here is too greedy for money.

Naturally, paying such crazy money for a couple of stupas is too “stupid,” so we walked around the territory a little to the side and climbed over a low fence. First stop was a 120 meter stupa Jetavanarama, located on the ruins of the Jetavana monastery.

Well, yes, a big, big stupa, of which we saw enough back in, differing from the rest only in that it is considered the largest in Sri Lanka. And necessarily, this is not even specified, it preserves a fragment of some “detail” of the Buddha. This time it's part of his belt.

In principle, it’s even a little impressive in size and for me personally it seemed the most interesting attraction of Anuradhapura than all the others archaeological sites old town.

To get to the second stupa, we had to overcome the secondary ticket control, which, of course, we were not aware of.

The security guard, seeing two large backpacks from afar, immediately jumped up and waved his hands at us. Andrey didn’t even look in his direction, walking further, I followed his example. The guard, taken aback by our impudence, abandoned his place and in three leaps appeared in front of us, blocking the path and shouting “Ticket! Ticket! I silently turned my gaze to Andrey, who looked at the guard with a stupid look and, in turn, also waved his hands at him, pretending to be deaf and dumb. The uniformed man's face slowly lengthened and froze for a few seconds. I almost ruined everything by wanting to laugh when I saw his confused look. Still in shock, he automatically pointed his finger in my direction, hoping that maybe I was “normal.” However, I repeated the same “concert,” smiling guiltily at the same time. This finally “finished off” the guard; with a wave of his hand, he let our smiling, grateful faces pass on.

Picnic at the Ruvanvalisaya stupa.

Having walked forward a few meters, we allowed ourselves to have fun from the heart. In order not to run into another employee of the holy city of Anuradhapura, we walked around the large white stupa Ruvanvalisaya on the side.

I would say that this is where it opened best view at her.

Another “masterpiece” of Sri Lankan architecture is also known under the names Mahathupa, Swarnamali and Ratnamali Dagaba.

Here we temporarily abandoned our backpacks to relax in the shade of the trees, swing on long springy branches like monkeys, and look at the birds.

By the way, there were plenty of monkeys here too, I can’t stand them since childhood.

They didn’t approach us and that’s okay.

Meeting at the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree.

After resting, the hike continued to the sacred tree of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, grown from a shoot of the same one under which Buddha’s insight descended. Got it on the way Lovamahapaya- a building formed in ancient times by 40 rows, each of which contains 40 stone columns, for a total of 1600 columns. The remains of the latter (and maybe a remake) can be seen right in front of the palace.

Suddenly a young foreigner stood in front of me, greeted me in good English and asked where I was from. What else could I answer if not the truth? The boy was from Germany, for the first time he got out of his country and somehow his choice fell on Sri Lanka. He asked where we were staying, noticing two backpacks next to me. He clearly needed company, perhaps he was hoping to join us. I said that we are hitchhikers and sleep in a tent or with locals. At first he was interested in this, and he even squatted down opposite me, but after several of my stories he realized that we were unlikely to be on our way, saying goodbye as quickly as he had appeared.

By that time, Andrei had finished examining the sacred plant behind the fence, and answered my questions briefly: “a tree is like a tree, nothing special. It’s only fenced off from particularly prying eyes and mischievous hands.”

The last attraction of Anuradhapura is the Mirisaveti Stupa.

Before leaving the old part of the holy city of Anuradhapura, Andrei decided to turn to the next stupa Mirisaveti Stupa, built on the site of a scepter with relics of the same Buddha.

There was nothing else to do in the city, and we went in search of a bus to the nearest one, 16 km before which we paid 35 rupees (9 rubles). Where we had dinner and found shelter in one of the churches that accidentally remained open all night, but you will learn about these details a little later. Stay with us, subscribe to blog news and don’t forget to share your pleasant impressions of what you read with your friends through the social buttons below :).

The most revered city in Sri Lanka, without a doubt, is Anuradhapura. Although many of its places of worship are now in ruins, a huge part of the region's religious and historical heritage has been preserved. Anuradhapura is an ideal tourist destination for tourists in love with history, for those who want to get to know the culture of this miniature country.

Ancient Anuradhapura is full of charm and mystery. Its attractions will allow you to plunge into the mystical past of Sri Lanka and even take some unique photographs there.

Not far from the Abhayagiri complex, tourists will find the ruins of the old Ratna Prasada monastery, built in the 2nd century by order of King Kanitta Tissa for the monks of the Abhayagiri order. It was gigantic in size, as evidenced by the powerful, richly decorated columns that can still be seen today. In the 8th century, the temple was reconstructed: several floors were added and a golden statue of Buddha was installed.

One of the centers of Sinhala civilization, the Jetavana Pagoda has a diameter of 113 meters and reaches a height 75 meters. At one time it was the tallest Buddhist building in South Asia. 93 million bricks were used for its construction. Today, next to the pagoda there is a museum where you can learn the history of the attraction and display an interesting collection of Buddhist statues.

One of Anuradhapura's most colorful structures, the Ruwanvelisseya Pagoda is located next to the ethnographic museum. An interesting wall that surrounds the pagoda is decorated with images of hundreds of elephants. Seriously damaged by wars and natural disasters, the landmark today is only 55 meters high and is surrounded by a garden replete with ruins.

Location: Abhayawewa Road.

An interesting tourist attraction in Anuradhapura is the Isurumuniya Monastery, which attracts attention with its stone sculptures that personify Prince Saliya and his beloved, a representative of the Asokamala caste.

Legend has it that the prince gave up his crown to marry her. Situated on the top of a cliff, the monastery is full of Buddhist relics brought from India in the early 4th century. At the entrance to the temple there is a beautiful lake decorated with impressive elephant statues.

Situated in a picturesque location on the Tissa Wewa River, Mirisavetiya is a pagoda of impressive proportions. Like all pagodas in Sri Lanka, it has its own legend, which says that King Dutugemunu, who decided to swim in the river, threw off his scepter and his royal insignia differences. After bathing, he wanted to pick up the scepter, which contained the relics of Buddha, but was unable to. To protect them, the king ordered the construction of a pagoda.

Location: Old Puttalam Road.

An attraction that is very popular in Anuradhapura is the Thuparama Pagoda, built by King Dawaman Pusa. It is considered to be the oldest in Sri Lanka, dating back to the 3rd century. Tuparama is located north of the Ruwanwelisseya Pagoda and has a diameter of 18 meters.

Location: Thuparama Mawatha.

The Abhayagiri monastery complex is the largest in Anuradhapura. Its main building, the Abhayagiri Pagoda, is 108 meters. The complex of monastery buildings covers an area of ​​200 hectares and includes several Buddhist temples. The main attraction of the complex is the Samadhi statue, which is considered one of the most beautiful images of Buddha.

Built during the reign of King Vijayanahu in the 12th century from wood, stone and clay soil, the palace covered an area of ​​about 2.5 square kilometers. Its southern wing was given over to a pagoda (Maligawa), where the relics of Buddha were kept. The wood used in the construction has not stood the test of time, but the stone part of the building can still be seen.

Once a magnificent structure covered with a bronze roof, Lohopasada Palace was built over 2,000 years ago for King Dutugemenu in the 13th century. Today you can see the ruins of 1,600 columns that supported the building. They say that the grandiose medieval building had 9 floors and could accommodate up to 1000 people at a time.

Money Museum

At the Anuradhapura Money Museum you can get acquainted with the history of Sri Lanka, starting from ancient times, in an accessible form. Many of its exhibits are recognized as the oldest in the world. Founded in 1982, the museum is divided into 4 exhibitions:

• Ancient period.
• Medieval period.
• Colonial period.
• Period of independence.

The oldest coins date back to the 3rd century and are made of silver. The museum also exhibits gold coins, as well as foreign ones that appeared here with the beginning of the development of trade.

Location: Stage 1, New Town.

The Sri Maha Bodhi Temple is home to what Buddhists believe is the oldest tree on Terra, planted in 249 BC. According to Buddhist belief, Gautami Buddha achieved enlightenment in front of a sacred tree at Buddhagaya, in India, and the Sri Maha Bothi tree is a shoot of the southern branch of this tree. A trip to Anuradhapura would not be complete without visiting this sacred place for all Buddhists.

And having gained strength, we had to move to Anuradhapura - the ancient capital of Sri Lanka. In terms of the number of attractions, Anuradhapura ranks first in Sri Lanka and we planned to spend a couple of days there, but everything happened completely differently...

How to get from Negombo to Anuradhapura.
There seem to be no direct buses from Negombo to Anuradhapura, so you need to first get to Kurunegala and then change to a bus to Anuradhapura. At 6 o'clock in the morning we got up, packed our things, had a snack, paid the owners of the guesthouse and caught a passing tukker, with whom we agreed to take us to the bus station for 250 rupees. At the bus station, they kindly told us the number of the required bus, we threw our bags next to the driver's seat and began to wait for departure.

Transport of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka has excellent development transport connection between cities, and there are options of different budgets and speeds. The cheapest option is to travel on old red buses, but they stop at every stop and drive very slowly, literally squeezing the last remaining strength out of their million-dollar engines. The second option, which we used most often, is the same large buses, but usually white. They rush from station to station at full speed. This is driving on the edge and I don’t understand how they are still alive. At the beginning of each trip, buses stop near small houses with Buddha figures. There the controller leaves a small amount as a donation and takes some white powder, smears it on his forehead, the driver’s forehead and the steering wheel of the bus. Perhaps this is the secret of survival. Or maybe in another way - the driver and the controller chew betel nut all the way. These are the leaves of a local plant that are sold on every corner and, according to Sri Lankans, are an excellent tonic. It causes their teeth to rot and their eyes to become glassy, ​​but they still chew everything. The third option is to use the services of a high-speed minibus called “express”. These are minibuses with exclusively seating areas, they go fast, but the price is higher. On all buses, the controller accepts payment and even issues tickets. The driver just turns the steering wheel. Also, some people use tuk-tuks to move between cities, but this, in my opinion, is a mockery. They drive slowly, and the sound of the roar of the engine can drive you crazy on long journeys.

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Kurunegala.
To get to Kurunegala, we took the services of a large white bus and sat behind the driver. Usually these places are reserved for monks, but tourists are often put there too. In 2.5 hours and 190 rupees for two, we reached the Kurunegala bus station. There we asked the bus drivers, quickly found a bus to Anuradhapura and at 9 o'clock we were already driving in the direction we needed. The Kurunegala-Anuradhapura fare is 140 rupees per person (big white bus). At 11.30 we were at the Anuradhapura bus station. It is worth noting that Anuradhapura has two stations, a new one and an old one. First the bus pulls into a new one, which looks like an ordinary one. bus stop with a bunch of buses, and then goes to the old one, everything is more organized there, platforms and all that. Long-distance buses mainly depart from the old station.

Anuradhapura.
Near the old bus station, we turned to tukers with a question about housing. I wanted to find something around 1500 rupees per night. While the tukers were arguing among themselves, a man drove up on a scooter and offered to check into his home guesthouse for 1,200 rupees. We agreed to go look at his home. The owner of the guest house offered to use the services of one of the tukers. Here we made a mistake and did not agree on the price for the tuk-tuk in advance, we relied on a peasant. As a result, having reached the guest house that we liked, the tukker said that there was no need for money for delivery and began to offer his services in organizing a tour of Anuradhapura and selling tickets, which are not needed anywhere except the Insurmuniya Temple. We refused his services and he asked for 400 rupees for delivery to the guesthouse, which is twice the expected price for a pack. In response to objections, he began to cry that Sri Lanka is from e resin country, wi ar pur people and wi have no mani. The usual story is shorter. They paid him 300 so that he would fall behind, having learned a lesson for the future - always agree on the price in advance. By the way, when agreeing on the price in guesthouses, also always ask if there are any additional taxes or fees, otherwise it may turn out to be a surprise later.

Tuker left, the owner said that Buddha would punish him for such prices. And we checked in, asked him where we could eat, what the weather was like and how much time it would take to visit all the main attractions. During the conversation, a friendly Sri Lankan offered us a tour of all the temples and dagobas for 4,000 rupees for two. For this money he promised a tuk-tuk, his guide services and the notorious “tickets”. Without thinking twice, they agreed, the price is not that high, but there is an opportunity to quickly see everything without bothering with the question of how to get to this or that place. We agreed on 4 pm and went to look for an eatery.

The weather was getting worse. In general, it rains with constant frequency in the center of the country. On the way from the guesthouse we met a lot of different animals - a langur, a palm squirrel and some kind of heron.

We were heading to the Food City supermarket, which we noticed while traveling by tuk to the guest house. It was not far and we reached it on foot. A little further down the road was new bus station. Overall our location was very convenient. We bought groceries for the evening at the market, and on the second floor we ate a hearty meal of fried fish at a Chinese restaurant. Portions are huge, prices are bargain. For 1100 rupees we ate our fill. While they were eating, a heavy tropical downpour began outside, which ended as suddenly as it had begun.

We returned exactly at 4 o'clock, and a tuk-tuk hired by the owner was already waiting for us in the courtyard of the guest house. The weather seemed to have cleared and we went to see the city.

Sights of Anuradhapura.
The first point of our excursion was a Hindu temple. It was not included in our route, but as we drove past, we asked to stop and take a look. In the temple, by a happy coincidence, some kind of purification ceremony was carried out. A family of parishioners sat on the floor, while ministers walked around them with incense and sang songs. Our guide prayed, put white dots on our foreheads and told us about different Hindu gods. It was quite interesting.

Vessagyria.
Next we went to the caves of the Vessagiriya monastery. This is a complex of several huge boulders and caves underneath them. The monks hid here from the rain and meditated. There are ancient inscriptions everywhere on the walls. And at the top it opens amazing view to the surrounding area, everything is green and the spiers of various dagobas are everywhere. We immediately noticed several macaques and saw a peacock flying for the first time.

Insurmunia.
We arrived at the Buddhist temple of Insurmuniya in the rain, which charged us with renewed vigor. We bought tickets for 200 rupees, left our shoes in front of the entrance (as is customary in all Buddhist temples) and went for a “walk through the puddles.” We got wet to the skin almost immediately, despite the presence of 2 umbrellas. The whole complex is very beautiful. On a small elevation there is an altar with lunar guard stones in front of the entrance. To the right is a small pool with images of elephants engraved on the rock. On the left is a small extension to the rock, inside of which there is a reclining Buddha. There's a small one nearby historical Museum, dedicated to the temple of Insurmuniya. And on the back side of the temple there is a staircase leading to the very top. Here is the main attraction of the temple - the footprint of Buddha. According to tradition, they throw a coin there and make a wish, which we took advantage of. By this time the rain had stopped and in the area temple complex Many langurs and palm squirrels appeared.

Stargate. Ranmasu-uyana.
Not far from the Insurmuniya temple there is a destroyed archaeological complex Ranmasu-uyana. Sri Lankans call it the Royal Pleasure Garden. There are 2 swimming pools not far from each other, one for women, the other for men. Approaching the complex, our guide asked if we believed in aliens and took us to a place where, according to legend, the aliens left their signs on the stone. The picture shows something like a map of the universe.

Behind Ranmasu-uyan and Insurmuniya is beautiful lake Tissa Hueva, which sparkled with all its colors in the sun that came out after the heavy rain.

Mirisavetiya Stupa.
The next point of our excursion was the Mirisavetiya stupa. A huge snow-white dogoba. Its size is simply unimaginable. To be honest, before planning a trip to Sri Lanka, I did not even suspect the existence of such architectural structures. Inside the dagoba or stupa (as it is also called) there is usually some kind of relic, but there is no entrance inside. We walked around it, took photos and headed to our next destination.

Sri Maha Bodhi
The sacred fig tree in Anuradhapura, grown from a scion of the Bodhi tree under which Prince Gautama achieved enlightenment and became Buddha. Sri Lankans say that this is the oldest tree on Earth. Some branches rest on golden supports, and below there is a temple where thousands of pilgrims converge. We arrived just in time for the evening service. Musicians beat drums, music played, believers brought flowers to the tree and prayed. The Sri Maha Bodhi tree is considered one of the main shrines of Sri Lanka.

Dagobah Ruanveli.
Behind the Sri Maha Bodhi tree is a wide alley. We followed it on foot to the Ruanveli dagoba. A huge white stupa, like Mirisavetiya. It is considered the largest and oldest dagobah of Anuradhapura. Around it, in a single ensemble, there are 4 small stupas and a small temple with a reclining Buddha, inside which the monk was telling a story to the parishioners.

Thuparamaya Dagoba.
We approached this beautiful dagobah, surrounded by pillars and small altars, already in the dark. Inside the Thuparamaya dagoba, a piece of the body of the Buddha himself is kept. Despite its modest size, this is one of the most beautiful stupas I have seen.

Jetavana Dagobah.
We didn't get to this huge brick stupa. Night fell and they saw her only from afar. Tuker brought us as close as possible to take a photo, but without a tripod it was impossible. We saw so many dagobas during the evening that I don’t think we lost anything.

Satisfied and full of emotions from what they saw, we drove home, and along the way we bought fruit at the night market. By the way, the bananas here are small, half the size of those we are used to seeing, but they are sweet. And pineapples local residents prefer to eat with salt and pepper. Upon returning to the guesthouse, I asked the hostess to peel and cut the pineapple. At my request, she also sprinkled half the wedges with salt and pepper. It’s delicious, of course, but to be honest, I liked the slices without spices better. There will be a chance to try it.

It was a very interesting day and we did not regret at all that we took our guest host as our guide. We ourselves would have walked here for 2 days and would have been pretty tired. So, if possible, do the same. The city is large and the attractions are far from each other.

Before going to bed, we asked the host of the guest house how to get to , a town not far from Anuradhapura. Everyone found out and went to bed. It was planned that early in the morning we would go to Mihintale, explore everything there before lunch, return and leave Anuradhapura...

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Anuradhapura - famous city ancient monasteries located in northern central Sri Lanka. The ancient monuments of Anuradhapura were discovered in the 19th century, and later included in. This ancient city called the most big city monasteries in the world. The capital, where 113 kings reigned and where Buddhists make pilgrimages, is home to some of Sri Lanka's greatest monuments, palaces and monasteries. Other famous cultural attractions of Sri Lanka are the majestic rock, cave temple and amazing temples.

Anuradhapura, ancient capital of Sri Lanka

The founding of the city of Anuradhapura practically coincided with the spread of Buddhism in Ceylon. According to legend, the Sinhala ruler Devanampiya Tissa (III century BC) and his entourage became acquainted with the new creed thanks to the son of the Indian king Ashoka - Mahinda. Soon Buddhism became the official religion of the Sinhalese, and the first stupa (dagoba) Thuparama and the Buddhist monastery Isurumuniya were built in Anuradhapura. During this era, the city experienced its heyday.

The ancient Sri Lankan chronicle “Mahavamsa” testifies: “The great and wise king ordered streets to be laid in this wonderful city, and thousands of houses of barely three floors were built on them. Everywhere in the city there were shops full of all kinds of goods. Elephants, horses and carriages passed without delay through the streets, which were every day swarming with people who took part in the solemn festivities. The entire strip of land off the coast was like one continuous workshop, continuously occupied with the construction of ships...”

Having existed for more than 1,200 years as the capital of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura was destroyed at the end of the 10th century when the troops of the South Indian state of the Cholas invaded northern part islands. The capital of the island was moved to Polonnaruwa, and Anuradhapura became a city of great past, revered as the sacred capital of the island.

Sights of Anuradhapura

The majestic ruins of Anuradhapura, occupying a circumference with a diameter of more than 12 km, are located four hours' drive from modern capital Sri Lanka Colombo. This museum city cannot be walked around entirely and explored even in a few days. Meanwhile, perhaps the most significant cultural monuments of the “lion island” are concentrated here.

Ancient chronicles tell that Anuradhapura was once surrounded by high walls with gates facing the four cardinal directions. The city had many ponds and parks, and thousands of sweepers came out to clean the streets every day. The royal palace and numerous Buddhist monasteries (viharas) and stupas (dagobas) were grandiose structures made of stone and wood. In ancient times, there were more than 3 thousand monks alone.

At the same time, each ruler of Anuradhapura sought to build a dagobah, possibly superior in size and splendor to those erected by his predecessors. In particular, the Jetavana dagoba, which lay in ruins but was partially restored, reached 80 m in height - i.e. was taller than many Egyptian pyramids.

Typical and extremely characteristic examples of Buddhist art for Ceylon are the so-called “moon stones”. There are eight of them preserved in Anuradhapura. Usually they were placed in front of the entrance to the “House of Image”. “Moon stones” are semicircular granite slabs with ornamental images carved on them. In the outer semi-ring, various animals and birds were located in a clockwise direction.

The next half ring was a wreath of lotus leaves. The sun was depicted in the center. This symbolism is associated with ancient cosmogonic ideas, and penetrated the island from India along with Buddhism. The images themselves on the “moon stones,” however, are inspired by Hindu mythology, but they have new content. A lion, for example, is associated with Buddha, lotuses - with detachment from everything earthly.

Today from architectural structures The dagobas of ancient Anuradhapura are best preserved. The giant stone masses survived despite the ravages of time.

The largest among the dagobas of Anuradhapura is the Ruwanwelisaya dagoba - a masterpiece of Sri Lankan architecture. It is often called the “Great Stupa” - “Maha Thupa”. The round snow-white stone mass, 54 m high, rests on a square base, framed on all sides by reliefs depicting the heads of elephants. The spire soaring into the sky once sparkled with gold.

The Ruvanvelisaya stupa is about two thousand years old, and the history of its construction is described in detail in the ancient Ceylonese chronicle “Mahavamsa”. The construction of the dagoba was started by King Dutthagamini, one of the most glorious rulers who ruled in Anuradhapura. Having ascended the throne, he found a golden plate hidden in his palace with instructions to build a dagobah. Then the king summoned five hundred of the best architects, showed them the plate and asked what shape the dagobah should be built. One of the architects suggested a bowl turned upside down as a model.

Dagobah was built with extreme care. Even sand intended for construction was sifted repeatedly and then rubbed between stones. The foundation was trampled down by elephants whose legs were wrapped in skins. The inner sanctuary of the dagobah was decorated with silver and gold. A model of the sacred bo tree made of gold and silver with pearls and gems was installed here. The statue of Buddha located here, cast from pure gold, was especially famous.

Shortly before the completion of construction, the king fell ill. Feeling his death approaching, he asked his brother Saddhatissa to see to it that the construction was completed. Saddhatissa promised to fulfill his request. It was he who ordered the dagoba to be painted white, which it retains to this day, although the color has to be regularly renewed: Subsequent kings also decorated the dagoba in all available ways.

In the middle of the 19th century. this building was threatened by the fate of many other buildings in Anuradhapura. The dilapidated dome resembled a natural hill, overgrown with trees and bushes, in which monkeys galloped and jackals hid. Restoration work took almost a hundred years. It was only during the Second World War that the Ruwanwelisaya Pagoda was finally restored.

One of the most ancient monuments of Buddhism in Ceylon is the Tuparama Dagoba, built in the 3rd century. BC. Devanapiya Tissa was the first Sinhalese ruler to accept Buddhism. According to legend, the collarbone of Buddha is walled up in this stupa, making Tuparama a particularly revered shrine. The height of this elegant, surprisingly proportional structure. resembling a bell, is about 17 m.

One can only marvel at the skill and artistic taste of the Sinhalese craftsmen who created this magnificent structure more than twenty-two centuries ago. Dagobah is surrounded by stone pillars that once served as supports for a tent over the heads of worshipers.

The spire of another dagobah, Abhayagiri, seems to rise from the depths of a huge mountain. This mountain is actually nothing more than a dome covered with grass (also restored in last years). The name “Abhayagiri” itself is sometimes translated as “Mountain where there is no fear.”

At the foot of the dagoba, a sculpture about two meters high has been preserved, depicting Buddha Samadhi immersed in nirvana (IV or V centuries). The figure is carved rather roughly, but the face with a distinctly absent expression is very expressively worked out.

However, much more has been preserved in Anuradhapura interesting statue Buddha, which is the oldest in Sri Lanka - it was erected 1800 years ago. The Chinese traveler Fa Xian, who visited Anuradhapura in 411, wrote: “Here... there is a hall of Buddha, decorated with gold, silver and precious stones, where there is his statue of green jade, more than fifty fugues high, sparkling with seven treasures, but in the pose serious and indescribable dignity. In the palm of my right hand lies a priceless stone.”

This statue, which has survived to this day, was actually carved not from jade, but from granite. Buddha is depicted in a meditation pose. sitting cross-legged. His face expresses serenity, the deepest peace of wisdom that has comprehended everything.

Another ancient monument Anuradhapura, preserved from the times of King Devanampiya Tissa, is the Isurumuniya monastery, cut into a large rock. Later restorations significantly changed its original appearance. Several bas-reliefs carved into the rock monolith dating back to the time of Devanampiya Tissa have been preserved. Among them is a composition depicting a group of elephants, as well as the famous bas-relief “Lovers in Stone,” depicting a girl sitting on the lap of her warrior lover.

The construction of Lohapasada - the Bronze Palace, began in the middle of the 2nd century. BC. King Dutthagamani, the same one who built the grand dagoba of Ruwanwelisaya. His reign is associated with the liberation of the north of Sri Lanka and the capital of the island, Anuradhapura, from the rule of South Indian invaders. Uniting the entire island under his rule. Dutghagamani began extensive construction in his capital. His life was not enough for this, and the construction of the Bronze Palace was completed under his younger brother.

Stories about the new miracle of Anuradhapura spread far beyond the island. Legend has it that it was built "in the image of the sky." The palace had nine floors and a thousand rooms decorated with wood carvings. In the throne room there was an ivory throne, on which the sun, moon and stars, made of gold, silver and pearls, sparkled. The rooms of the palace were also decorated with pearls, gold and silver. The Mahavamsa states that “the cornices were gems… The ringing festoons are made of gold.” And the palace got its name - Bronze - because of the bronze sheets covering the roof.

The bronze palace died, as they say, “because of a penny candle”: one day a burning oil lamp fell on the floor, and the fire completely destroyed all this splendor. The building was partially restored, but subsequent wars and the desolation of Anuradhapura led to the fact that today all that remains of the legendary palace is a platform lined with a whole forest of granite columns - there are up to 1,600 of them here!

But Kuttam, the “Double Bath,” built in the 9th century, is perfectly preserved. and having about 8 m in depth. At the edge of the bathhouse stands an elaborate sculpture of a cobra.

Anuradhapura has preserved many architectural monuments that deservedly enjoy worldwide fame. Perhaps no less famous is the thousand-year-old bo tree, growing not far from the Ruvanvelisaya dagoba. It was planted over 2,250 years ago by the first Buddhist king, Devanampiya Tissa, and is probably the oldest tree on earth today. It has survived almost the entire history of Sri Lanka, now captured in the ruins of Anuradhapura.

The tree sapling was brought from India, from the holy city, and, according to legend. is a shoot from the same bo tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment. The branch, placed in a golden pot, was brought to Anuradhapura by the nun Sanghamitta, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka. With the greatest solemnity, the precious branch was planted in the park in front of royal palace. Then it was predicted that the tree would bloom and green forever.

They say that seven days later a miraculous rain fell, and the branch immediately sent out eight shoots, which in turn were taken to other places on the island. Today in almost any Sri Lankan Buddhist monastery one can see a bo tree, which is the “grandson”, “great-grandson” or even more distant descendant of the “sri-maha-bodhi” - the “sacred great bo” of Anuradhapura.

The huge ancient tree is carefully surrounded by a cast-iron fence. Its thick branches, full of vital juices, indicate that this tree will not die soon. There is hardly a Buddhist in the whole country who has not made a pilgrimage to this tree at least once in his life. Students come here before exams, business people come before concluding important deals, ministers come before making political decisions. On the day that marks the anniversary of the Sinhalese's conversion to Buddhism (this holiday is called "poson"), thousands of pilgrims flock to Anuradhapura. Here they pray and light candles near the sacred tree.

We already went to Anuradhapura by bus as usual. The ride takes 3 hours, the cost of 2 tickets is 300 rupees. And, as usual, we were dropped off not at the station, but somewhere in the city. First of all, we wanted to go to the railway station. Until now, we traveled around Lanka by buses. However, now we decided to use the services of Sri Lankan railways. The fact is that the next destination on our trip was Unawatuna. located almost in the very south of the island. By email, the owner of the villa we booked in Unawatuna asked what time we would arrive. We informed that we were already in Sri Lanka and on the appointed day we would arrive from Anuradhapura in the evening. Having learned that we were planning to travel by bus, the hostess expressed great doubts about the success of our idea.

The Anuradhapura-Colombo-Unawatuna distance is not very long by Russian standards, and, in our opinion, is quite surmountable in daylight. But buses in Lanka really are not in a hurry, and the owner of the house, although she was a New Zealander, had lived here for a long time. There is no direct train connection from here to Unawatuna; you need to go through Colombo. We read that in order to get tickets for 1st or 2nd class (some horror stories were written about 3rd class), you need to buy tickets in advance. That’s why we had to go to the station first. We started looking around, trying to get our bearings. A tukker quickly noticed us and offered to take us to the railway station for 100 rupees. We knew that there were two train stations in Anuradhapura, but we didn’t know which one we needed. 100 rupees (40 rubles) is a small amount and, having specified that we needed a station from which we could go to Colombo, we went. At the station we went to the window with the inscription “1st, 2nd class” and asked for two tickets for the day after tomorrow to Colombo in first class. We were told that there are no first class carriages on any train on this route. And not only for the day we need, but in general. I had to take 2 second class tickets departing the day after tomorrow at 9 am. The cashier took 1,800 rupees from us and gave us a piece of paper perforated along the edges in half A4 format, which indicated the date, time, carriage class and seat numbers C7, C8. We checked with the cashier whether this sign actually meant our seat numbers, and received an affirmative answer. Our mood has improved: it means we won’t have to stand in the aisle and fight for seats.

At the exit from the station, an overweight man in a shirt, sarong and sandals on his bare feet approached us. "Taxi, sir?" - he turned to his husband. Taxi?! Are there really taxis here?! Not a tuk-tuk, but a normal car with a trunk and even air conditioning?! Driving a Tuk in any country is not fun for us. Driving in the heat, inhaling exhaust fumes from passing cars, dust, being frozen by the driver’s pirouettes, and then figuring out why the price was higher than agreed upon is not the most pleasant experience. Taking a taxi is always easier and more comfortable. But so far we have not been able to see a taxi in Sri Lanka, except at the airport. Joyful, we threw our things into the trunk and plunged into the air-conditioned coolness of the car interior. Our hotel was located in a strip between urban development and expanses of rice fields. It was even called Heaven Upon Rice Fields - “Heaven over the rice fields.” That’s why I chose it, I liked it based on the description and reviews. Our driver knew the property we had booked. On the way, he asked about our plans. We replied that today we would like to visit Mihintale and would be happy to do it by car. He literally jumped up on the seat and clapped his hands - he was ready to take us. After unloading our suitcases at the hotel and paying 200 rupees, we asked the driver the price of a trip to Mihintale by car. He quoted the price as 2500 rupees. As we knew from the Internet, the trip should have cost no more than 1,500. In the end, we negotiated until 1,700, agreed on the departure time, we wanted to take a shower and have a snack before leaving the road.

A palm squirrel jumped into our room through the open doors of the balcony.

We wanted to treat her, but she turned out to be so frightened that, after running around the curtain rod and curtains for a minute, she quickly jumped out. From the windows there really is a view of the rice fields and Mount Mihintale, where we planned to go today.

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At the appointed time, a minibus drove into the yard. A completely different person came out and asked if we were going to Mikhintale. We replied that we were indeed going to Mihintale, but had already agreed with another driver. In response, he told us that Abi (the name that the previous driver wrote to us) is his brother, and that he is currently busy. We approached the minibus and saw a guy and a girl inside. In response to our question, the driver said that they were also going to Mihintale. But we didn’t agree that way! We were going to travel on our own, and not in the company of strangers, and we did not want to either adapt to someone ourselves or force someone to adapt to us. We resolutely turned back. The driver trotted behind us, assuring us that we would not interfere with each other at all. Then he said that he would give a discount of up to 1,500 rupees - “only for you.” It was 16 o'clock, the hotel owner said that he could, if necessary, organize a tuk-tuk for us. But a tuk-tuk, not a car. Time was more valuable now, and I didn’t want to waste it looking for another car. We agreed.

The couple in the minibus turned out to be from the Czech Republic. When asked which language they prefer to communicate in - English or Russian - they confidently chose Russian. The guy was from Karlovy Vary (probably the most “Russian” Czech city), understood Russian tolerably and, although choosing his words slowly and carefully, spoke quite well. He said that they had come from Colombo, where they had been for two days, and that Colombo was a boring and uninteresting city with absolutely nothing to do. We shared our impressions.

Now about Mihintal. It is located just 12 kilometers from Anuradhapura. A very atmospheric place, we recommend it as a must see. There have been statements that Mihintale is even more interesting than Anuradhapura itself. It's hard to compare, but we really liked this place. It is famous for the fact that it was from here that Buddhism began to spread across the island; the first Buddhist teacher in Sri Lanka, Mahinda, preached here. The complex includes three hills: Mango Plateau (Ambastala), Royal Hill (Rajagiri), Elephant Mountain (Anaikutti). The climb to Mount Mihintale is quite difficult: the height of the mountain is 305 meters and to get to the top you need to overcome 1840 steps.

But by transport you can drive up to the upper parking area, which will shorten the journey by half, although a couple of, as we read, less interesting sights will remain unexamined. But almost next to the parking lot there are 68 caves, the ruins of Medamaluva, and the Mango Plateau.

After getting out of the car, we parted with our fellow travelers, without agreeing on when we would return to the car. We intended to take our time and examine everything we had planned.

It’s better to go up here early in the morning, before it’s too hot, or after the midday heat, as we did. Be sure to stock up on water and take socks with you (you will have to walk around the entire complex, as always in Lanka, without shoes). We did not try to explore all the ruins here. Apart from the Mango Plateau (tickets for two - 1000 rupees), the rest of the attractions of Mihintale are accessible for free, but are located quite far from each other.

Directly from the upper parking area, a narrow staircase leads to the right to the Kantaka Chetya Stupa (2nd century BC), which is one of the oldest structures in Lanka.

To the southwest of Kantak Chetya are piles of huge boulders, followed by a ridge of 68 caves.

A little higher up the stairs and to the side is Cobra Pond, a natural reservoir filled with rainwater. The edges of the Pond are lined with stones, and an image of a five-headed cobra with an open hood is carved on the rock. According to legend, Mahinda bathed here. But its main value was as a source for the irrigation system of the entire Mihintale complex.

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The mango plateau is the place where the main attractions of Mihintale are concentrated. It is a platform in the center of which the Ambasthala Dagoba Stupa is installed; the columns around previously supported the now unpreserved roof of the vata-da-ge (in Sinhala - “round house of relics”)

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monkeys feast on lotuses on the altar.

Next to the stupa there is a rounded piece of rough stone embedded in a platform - the place where King Devanampiya Tissa first met Mahinda. The stone is protected by a fence and roof and strewn with money donated by believers.

behind rises the main hill of Mihintale - Aradhana Gala, from which Mahinda read his sermons

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you need to climb up the carved steps and then up the iron ladder. There are wonderful views from there

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on the left is a statue of Buddha (Buddha Statue), which is of no historical value, but adds appropriate color to the surrounding environment

on the right is the white stupa of Maha Seya (Mahaseya Dagoba) - the largest in Mihintala, its construction belongs to King Mahadathika Mahanaga (early 1st century). According to legend, Buddha's hair is immured in it.

view from the platform next to the stupa

bodhi tree

Sri Lanka's endemic birds feast on candle wicks without any reverence

pond with fish and turtles

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Mahindu Stupa (Mihindu Seya) (on the map), where the ashes of Mahindu himself are kept.

If you follow the path between Ambastala Stupa and Aradhana Gala, you can go to Mahinda's Cave, where he lived and meditated. There you can see the so-called Mahinda bed - a flat rock slab.

Mihintale is imbued with some kind of goodness and peace. Is this somehow connected with Buddhism (in the middle between the stupas there is a small functioning temple) or is it simply natural place strength - I don’t know. But from the visit I was left with a feeling of mental strength and health. We were very pleased with our visit.

It took us about two hours to leisurely explore everything, but again, we did not explore the numerous ruins below the parking area. In general, we are of the opinion that you should not get too tired and make extra efforts when sightseeing. A museum or an archaeological complex - after 3 hours fatigue and dullness of perception sets in, and then the effect and impressions are not at all the same. It's always better to have too little than too much, in my opinion.

When we returned to the minibus, it turned out that the Czechs were already there. Their bored look said that they had obviously been waiting for us for more than five minutes. It turned out to be half an hour. We were a little uncomfortable, but we couldn’t refuse to watch everything we wanted in a way that was comfortable for us... This is the result of a joint trip of different people. True, then the guy, apologizing, asked us to allow the driver to first take them to where they could buy beer, and only then to the hotel. We gladly agreed, compensating them for their waiting time.

We had dinner booked at our hotel, because judging by the reviews, it’s better not to take risks and eat at your hotel. Moreover, it cost 600 rupees per person, everything was very tasty (curry with another variety of sauces). In general, we really liked the hotel and the owners (a young family). I have a review on my booking account

In the evening, we asked the hotel owner to call our friend Abi and order a car for us to explore Anuradhapura. The objects are located far from each other, and the best way to explore the complex, especially in the heat, is by transport.

In the morning, at the appointed time, a minibus drove into the courtyard of our hotel - again different - not the same as yesterday. The driver was different. Young guy. From a conversation with him, it turned out that he had come for us, and Abi was his uncle. In general, a family clan. This time there were no fellow travelers, we could comfortably inspect everything that was interesting to us, each time cooling off in the saving air-conditioned atmosphere of the car after the next object under the scorching sun.

We had a printout of the Anuradhapura tourist attractions map. At the beginning of the trip, we considered the Abhayagiri monastery complex as an object to visit (one ticket costs 30 dollars). But they have already decided to refrain from examining it for now, or, in any case, to leave it for last. The driver, when asked whether it was worth going to Abhayagiri, shrugged his shoulders doubtfully and said that “Abhayagiri is not very important.” In addition, the following opinion was found on the Internet: “Many tourists refuse to buy a ticket at all, go around the sights on their own, without entering the territory of Abhayagiri, visiting only free ones. Paid and free dagobas are generally monotonous, and you will most likely get bored after the third or fourth.”

Anuradhapura is the first ancient capital Sinhala kingdom. Main tourist sites in the city these are stupas. Some of them are simply gigantic. One of them is brick Jetavana. It is really just huge, visible from afar. It is the tallest dagoba in the world, built of brick (originally 122 m, 3rd century). Buddha's belt is supposedly walled inside.

The remaining stupas are also quite interesting and completely free. I especially liked it Ruwanwelisia. The most revered of all other stupas, because it contains the most relics.

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The stupa is located on a platform decorated with bas-reliefs of more than a hundred elephants (elephants participated in the construction of the dagobah).

Around the stupa there are: a sanctuary with 5 Buddha statues and frescoes,

4 mini-dagobas, a dagobah model in a glass cube and a sculpture of King Dutugemunu.

The height of the stupa is 92 m, diameter 90. From the original appearance there was almost nothing left. We even saw regular restoration work, in which both monks and the local population participated.

Thuparama Stupa(Thuparama Dagoba) is the very first stupa in Sri Lanka, dedicated to the emergence of Buddhism.

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Buddha's collarbone is walled up in the Stupa, and there are remains of destroyed buildings of the old city around.