Anuradapura

In 1820, English hunter found in the jungles of Sri Lanka ruins of the huge city of Anuradhapura, whose existence was mentioned in old books of Buddhist monks. In the early 20th century, the first serious archaeological excavations began that continues today. Archaeologists suggest that the first human settlements in the Anuradhapura district belong to the V century BC. The town was named after a star in the constellation Scorpius - Anuradha, which means "light". In its heyday the city covered an area of ​​52 square meters. km and a population of tens of thousands of people. In a well-planned city of 2-storey houses were commonplace, as well as water (I century BC. Oe.), Roads and bridges, palaces, monasteries, temples, stupas, a hospital and a cemetery. Anuradhapura remained the capital of the Sinhala state for 1400 years.

Anuradhapura is not only the ancient capital, but also the holy city. At 247g. BC. Buddhism became the official religion of Sri Lanka, and the monks from northern India were brought to the relics of the island - the symbols of that particular religion, full of philosophical meaning. Every year thousands of believers make a pilgrimage to the holy places, in the territory of the city of eight: Bo-tree and seven Dagobah. Anuradhapura has been and remains to this day the capital of Buddhism. Wood-Bo - one of the most sacred objects of worship for the millions of Buddhists all over the world. It has grown from a branch of a tree in Budha Goya (Nepal), under which Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. Seedling was brought to the island Sangamittoy nun, daughter of the Indian Emperor Asoka, and was put in the royal park of Anuradhapura. Since the original tree in Nepal no longer exists, it is the oldest historically documented tree in the world, which the XXIII century. In the center stands one of the seven stupas - Dagobah Ruvanovelli or Mahatupa (Great Stupa), built on the foundations of the golden gravel in II. BC .. Only at the foot of it has a diameter of more than 80 m .. the Jetavana stupa (120 m), the tallest brick structure ever built by man, (IV of c. BC. e.) was the third largest monument in the world , second only to the pyramids of Cheops in Giza.

All stupa containing relics (fragments of the physical remains of the Buddha) or built on the site of important religious or historical events. The largest house is located west of the Buddha of the Great Stupa. Judging from the doorway 8 meters in height, it was an impressive size building with massive walls. Among other significant works repentance hall, a well in the shape of a lotus. Masterpieces of the Sri Lankan culture, are of great historical interest, on display at the exhibition in the Archaeological Museum Anuradhapura.