Anuradhapura

The wonders of Anuradhapura, the first historical capital of Sri Lanka and the center of Sinhalese culture from the fourth century BC, continue to exude grandeur. The kingdom had 117 monarchs who ruled for more than a thousand years. They constructed Buddhist temples, pleasure gardens, enormous reservoirs and irrigation systems, and magnificent palaces. Some of these structures were among the largest in the ancient world, second only to the Giza pyramids.

Anuradhapura is a holy city with many sites to see, including the surviving ruins and the reconstructed temples and stupas.