Anuradhapura is the capital of the north-central province of Sri Lanka. And located at an altitude of 81 meters above sea level.
Anuradhapura was the first capital under the rule of the Sinhalese kings. According to archaeological excavations, the city of Anuradhapura has existed at least since the 10th century BC. According to chronicles, the city owes its heyday to King Pandukabhaya in 377 BC. who chose it as the capital. The city had a clear urban plan; in the vicinity there was an extensive system of irrigation canals. For the water supply of the city, by order of the king, an artificial lake was built, which has survived to this day.
Anuradhapura developed dynamically as a trading and religious center, it was from this city that Buddhism spread throughout the island. Thanks to the influx of merchants and pilgrims, the city was widely known in the world, in particular, it is marked on the maps of Claudius Ptolemy. In 100 A.D. the population of the city was 130,000 people (and now - about 64 thousand people), which put it in sixth place in the world in this indicator. The capital was famous for its high level of medicine and the attention paid by the city authorities to the cleanliness of the streets and waste disposal.
In the 11th century A.D. the city was destroyed by the rulers of the South Indian Tamil state of Chola who captured the island; subsequently the capital of the state was moved to Polonnaruwa. Anuradhapura lost its political and economic importance, many residents left the city. However, it remained a destination for Buddhist pilgrims and an important religious center in Sri Lanka. Numerous ancient monuments have been preserved in the old city of Anuradhapura and the surrounding area. In 1982 the city was included to the UNESCO World Heritage List.