Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapuraya · Kingdom of Rajarata
Anuradhapura Period 377 BCE–1017 CE (peak 1st–10th c CE)·Sinhalese Theravada Buddhist (Anuradhapura Kingdom)·🇱🇰 North Central Province, Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka
Pierre André Leclercq · CC BY-SA 4.0
About
About Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Sinhalese capital for 1,400 years (377 BCE–1017 CE) and great Theravada monastic center with three 4th–2nd c BCE brick dagabas among tallest premodern structures: Jetavanaramaya (originally 122 m, largest brick building antiquity), Abhayagiri and Ruwanwelisaya, and sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree propagated from Bodh Gaya cutting 288 BCE, oldest documented tree on earth.
Why it mattersSinhalese capital for 1,400 years (377 BCE–1017 CE) and great Theravada monastic center with three 4th–2nd c BCE brick d
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Jetavanaramaya brick volume 93M bricks – labor organization parallels Egyptian pyramids
- 02Bodhi tree genetic authenticity – oldest living human-planted tree?
Theories
- 01Dagaba brick coralline bonding enabled tallest brick antiquity surpassing European masonry
- 02Anuradhapura tank cascade 3,000 tanks as premodern hydraulic society thesis (Brohier)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Ruwanwelisaya 161 BCE; Jetavanaramaya 273 CE; tree 288 BCE
- Period
- Anuradhapura Period 377 BCE–1017 CE (peak 1st–10th c CE)
- Culture
- Sinhalese Theravada Buddhist (Anuradhapura Kingdom)
- Purpose
- Irrigated rice monarchy capital and Theravada pilgrimage conserving Bodhi tree
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
Ruwanwelisaya 161 BCE; Jetavanaramaya 273 CE; tree 288 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1088 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
8.3430° N · 80.3980° E · 90 m · 3 mapped features
- Jetavanaramaya dagaba (120 m now)stupa122 m brick dagaba largest antiquity brick8.3510° N · 80.4030° E
- Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi sacred treesacred treeBodhi ficus planted 288 BCE from Bodh Gaya branch8.3446° N · 80.3967° E
- Abhayagiri Monastery complexmonastery3rd c BCE monastery with 75 m dagaba and moonstone8.3700° N · 80.3950° E
Gallery