The city of Anuradhapura was the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka, and it is still a sacred Buddhist religious center. It lies around 200 kilometres (124 miles) north of Colombo, the current capital. Uploading one image does not do this incredible place justice.
The ancient city is surrounded by three great man made lakes as well as three of the largest man made stupas in the world. The city is also home to one of the largest and most sacred Bodhi trees in Sri Lanka, believed to be a descendant of the Bodhi tree where Buddha was illuminated. Anuradhapura became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.
The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a sacred fig tree that stands in the Mahamewna Gardens in Anuradhapura. Not only is it the closest authentic living link to Buddha, it is also the oldest human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date and a recorded history.