Day tour in Sacred city of Anuradhapura including Mihintale from Habarana

The Isurumuniya Viharaya is located close to the Tisa Wewa. It is renowned for its stone carvings of which the most famous is one known as the “Isurumuniya Lovers”. The other carvings are of the Horseman, Elephant Pond and the Royal Family.

To the north of Isurumuniya lies the Ranmasu Uyana or Royal Pleasure Garden. This is a significant place as it is believed that Prince Saliya met Asokamala, his future bride, in this very garden all those centuries ago.The sculpture known as the “Isurumuniya Lovers” is a Gupta style carving of the 6th Century.

Ranmasu Uyana is a park in Sri Lanka. It sits on aabout 40 acres (16 ha), and is a noted example of Sri Lankan garden architecture of the pre-Christian era. According to an inscription found in Vessagiriya, the water to the park was supplied by Tessa Wewa and then released to rice fields around Isurumuni Vihara.

The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya the sacred tree of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka is the oldest living tree in documented history of the world. It is a sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which Buddha enlightened. It was planted in 288 BCF and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date. It was brought from Buddhagaya India by the Ven. Sanghamitta Therini, a sister of Arhant Mahinda – who introduced the Teachings of the Buddha to Sri Lanka.

Thissa wewa is a artificial reservoir built by king Devanam Piyathissa in 3rd century.This was to increase water supply to the capital city of Anuradapura.

Ruwanwelisaya is known in many names such as, Mahathupa, Ran Welisaya, Swarnamali Chethiya & Rathnamali Dageba.

Considered to be an icon of architectural glory in ancient Sri Lanka, Ruwanwelisaya is one of the world’s tallest monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft.) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft.) And also holds a name as one of the Solosmasthana (the 16 sacred sites of veneration) and the Atamasthana (the eight sacred sites in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura), which are places believed to have been visited by Buddha during his three visits to Sri Lanka.

Thuparamaya stupa is situated in the highly sacred Mahamewna Uyana in Anuradhapura and is a significant and certainly much-visited site. The has built, bell-shaped.According to noted history, it was built in the 3rd century BCE during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa, at the request of Arahat Mahinda, an envoy of King Asoka. It is the earliest stupa to be built in the country after the advent of Buddhism. It is believed to be the repository for the sacred right collar bone relic of the Buddha and some even theorise that it originally held the sacred tooth relic.

Abhayagiri stupa related to the aramic complex of Abhayagiriya Viharaya which was built in the reign of King Vattagamini Abaya (commonly known as King Valagamba) in the 1st Century BC.It is the second largest stupa in the island today.

Today, the main attraction of this aramaic complex is the massive Abayagiri Stupa which stands at 74.98 meters to the tip of the damaged spire. According to the 5th century traveler Chinese monk Fa-Hsien’s descriptions, this stupa has been 400 feet (122 meters) in height and has been decorated with gold and silver and studded with all kinds of jewels. There also has been a 20 foot (6.1 meters) high Buddha statue made out of green jade.

Samadi Statue is mentioning the Dyana Mudra (Meditation Position) at mahamevna Park, Anuradhapura is regarded as one of the finest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka, situated among the extensive remains of the ancient religious city of Anuradhapura.

The samadhi statue stands 7 feet 3 inches in height and thought to be constructed in 3rd or 4th Century using dolomite marble and is thought to be one of four similar statues facing North, East and West. Samadhi statue was found in the present location with damages, especially with a fallen nose, which was reconstructed and opened for public 1888.

Kuttam Pokuna or the twin ponds are another hydrologic engineering marvels of the ancient Sri Lanka. These two ponds belong to the Abayagiri aramic complex and may have been used by the monks for bathing. The origins of these ponds are not known but it is thought to have been built during the reign of King Aggabodhi I (575-608).

Jethawanaramaya Stupa is one of the tallest stupa of Sri Lanka. The stupa was built by the King Mahasen, between the years 273 – 301. The Jethawanaramaya stupa holds the relic of the Lord Buddha’s sash or the waist tie. The Stupa is also considered to be one of the prominent destinations listed under the sixteen places (solosmassthanaas the locals say), that a devoted Buddhist should visit at least once in their lifetime. Visiting this stupa is not only limited to Buddhists, but any person who has a common understanding and love for ancient irrigation and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka should also visit the Jethawanaramaya Sthupa.

Mihintale mountain, with the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, began to serve as a residential area for the venerable monks headed by Arahath Mahinda Mahathera. But soon, with the royal patronage, the sanctuary housed a multitude of with monastic buildings-stupas, uposathgharas, bodhigharas- to serve the monks. Sixty eight cave dwellings provided the monks shade and shelter. Mihintale, the sanctuary for many thousands of laymen as well as holy men, had all the facilities and amenities for basic living.