Royal Palace

Anuradhapura


Built in 1070 (some 12 centuries after Anuradhapura’s heyday), this palace was an attempt by King Vijayabahu I to link his reign with the glories of the ancient Sinhalese capital. Little remains today except two fine, but surprisingly modest, guardstones.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Anuradhapura attractions

1. Dalada Maligawa

0.2 MILES

In the Royal Palace area you can also find the Dalada Maligawa. The central relic chamber of this ruined temple may have been the first Temple of the…

2. Mahapali Refectory

0.2 MILES

The Mahapali refectory, or alms hall, is notable mainly for its immense trough (nearly 3m long and 2m wide) that the lay followers filled with rice for…

3. Thuparama Dagoba

0.23 MILES

In a beautiful woodland setting north of the Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba, the Thuparama Dagoba is the oldest dagoba in Sri Lanka – indeed, probably the oldest…

4. Jetavanarama Dagoba

0.52 MILES

The Jetavanarama Dagoba’s massive dome rises above the entire eastern part of Anuradhapura. Built in the 3rd century by King Mahasena, it may have…

5. Anuradhapura World Heritage Site

0.54 MILES

The ruins of Anuradhapura are one of South Asia’s most evocative sights. The sprawling complex contains a rich collection of archaeological and…

6. Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba

0.54 MILES

This magnificent white dagoba is guarded by a wall with a frieze of 344 elephants standing shoulder to shoulder. Apart from a few beside the western…

7. Buddhist Railing

0.55 MILES

A little south of the Jetavanarama Dagoba, on the other side of the road, there is a stone railing built in imitation of a log wall. It encloses a site…

8. Basawak Kulama

0.62 MILES

The oldest tank in Anuradhapura, probably dating from around the 4th century BC, is the 120-hectare Basawak Kulama (the Tamil word for tank is kulam).

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