Anuradhapura was founded in 377 BC and was occupied until the 11th century AD, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was the capital of the Sinhalese and is a sacred Buddhist site. Photo: Buddhists in white walking to the Ruwanwel Maha Seya stupa, seen in the background.

The Ruwanweli Maha Seya was built in 140 BC and is one of the tallest ancient monuments at 338 feet (103 m) in height.

Buddhists bringing lotus flowers to the stupa. A stupa is a symbolic representation of Buddha's burial mound and usually are the burial sites of Buddhist monks and nuns.

We walked around the stupa in the clockwise direction as it is the way it is supposed to be done and to have spirtual thoughts while doing so. Here are prayer flags at the back of the stupa.

A Sitting Buddha.

The Anuradhapura World Heritage Site is quite large and you need transportation to get around. We passed this sign: "Clergies Seated Infront. Drive Slow."

The Dakkhina Stupa, built in the second century BC to mark the cremation site of King Dutugamuru.

Myura Pirivena, an ancient monastery, 340-368 AD.

In the 4th century BC, King Pandukabhaya made Anuradhapura his capital and laid out the town and its suburbs. He established shrines, cemeteries, and places for execution. He also built a village for slaves and monasteries for Buddhist monks. Many of the ruins seen today were monasteries.

More ruins.

The sacred Bodi Tree of Vessavana, planted in the fourth century BC by King Pandukabhaya, is said to be the southern branch from the Sri Maha Bodhi in India under which Buddha gained Enlightenment.

Closer-up of the bodi tree.

The guard on the right of the stairs.

The guard on the left of the stairs.

Monks at Anuradhapura.

In front of the temple with the bodi tree.

Prayer flags.

More ruins.

More ruins.

King Pandukabhaya also constructed the Abhayavapi reservoir which brought water to Anuradhapura for irrigation and for drinking, a great construction feat at that time.

A gate.

The Mirisaweti Stupa, built by King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC) after defeating the South Indian invader King Elara.

More ruins.

The Lankaramaya Stupa. It originally had 88 pillars (some shown in the photo) for a vatadage, a roofed hall, that surrounded the stupa. It was built by King Walagamba, 104-103 BC, in memory of Silasobha Khandaka, where he had hid from his enemies and later destoyed them.

Another view.

More ruins.

More ruins.

More ruins.

More ruins.

More ruins.

More ruins.

More ruins.

A moonstone is at the bottom of the stairs, a sandakada pahana, which is unique to Sinhalese ancient architecture. The semi-circular sandakada pahana symbolizes the cyle of Samsara in Buddhism, which is life on earth, filled with sorrow and pain.

A half-lotus was carved in the center of the moonstone, enclosed by concentric bands. The first band is decorated with a procession of swans. The second band has an intricate foliage design. The third band has on it carvings of elephants, lions, horses, and bulls and symbolize the four stages in life: growth, energy, power, and forbearance. The fourth band has a carving of flames representing a fire altar.

Closer-up of the moonstone.

Swans and bulls.

Lion.

Horse and bull.

Elephant.

Relief on the steps.

Another relief on the steps.

On the side of the steps.

On the other side of the steps.

More ruins.

Closer-up.

A Sitting Buddha.

The Abayagiri Stupa, which was the seat of the Northern Monastery, the original site of the Tooth Relic, which is now at the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy.

Another view.

Steps to a platform.

More ruins.

One of twin bathing ponds, the Kuttam Pokuna.

Close-up.

The Jetavana Stupa. It was originally 394 feet (120 m) high and was the third tallest structure in the ancient world. Today, it is the tallest stupa in the world and is the largest structure made entirely of brick anywhere in the world.

I had bought some postcards of Anuradhapura. I had seen all the temples on the postcards except for this one, the Isurumuniya Temple, built 307-267 BC to house 500 children of high-caste who had become ordained. The picture also shows some interesting carvings.