Royal Pleasure Gardens

Anuradhapura

Known as the Park of the Goldfish, these extensive 2000-year-old royal pleasure gardens cover 14 hectares and contain two ponds skilfully designed to fit around the huge boulders in the park. Look out for the fine elephant carvings.

Carved onto the back side of a rock face in the southwest corner of the park is an intriguing geometric mandala design of circles and crosses that some have suggested is one of the earliest ever depictions of a world map.

It was here that Prince Saliya, the son of Dutugemunu, was said to have met the low-caste Asokamala, whom he married, thereby forsaking his right to the throne, a story captured in the 'lover's' sculpture in nearby Isurumuniya Vihara.

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Nearby Anuradhapura attractions

1. Isurumuniya Vihara

0.21 MILES

This charming rock temple, dating from the reign of Devanampiya Tissa (r 307–267 BC), is set around a lovely lotus pond, the corner of which is carved…

2. Sandahiru Seya

0.27 MILES

Two thousand years after the first of the great dagobas was constructed, a huge new stupa, the Sandahiru Seya, is rising on the south side of Anuradhapura…

3. Dakkhina Stupa

0.42 MILES

Most tourists ignore this 2000-year-old stupa, but legend says it holds the cremated remains of King Dutugemunu (r 161–137 BC). It's now mostly used by…

4. Mirisavatiya Dagoba

0.5 MILES

This huge dagoba was the first built by King Dutugemunu after he recaptured the city in the 2nd century BC. The story goes that Dutugemunu went to bathe…

5. Vessagiriya

0.65 MILES

South of the Isurumuniya Vihara are the faint remains of the Vessagiriya cave monastery, a series of evocative, gravity-defying boulder overhangs etched…

6. Tissa Wewa

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The 160-hectare Tissa Wewa is the southern tank in the old city. The dirt road around the lake makes for a nice bike ride. It's easily accessed from the…

7. Sri Maha Bodhi

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8. Archaeological Museum

0.7 MILES

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