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The Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Mihintale, translates as Mahinda’s Mountain; It was on the summit of this mountain that the great Sinhalese king Devanampiyatissa was converted to Buddhism by Arahat Mahinda, the son of the last Buddhist emperor of India. The best time to climb the mountain is early morning or late afternoon when it is not so hot. A climb of 1840 small steps will take you to the summit of the sacred mountain. Along the way you will meet monkeys, vendors selling ornaments, fruit, drinks and various spices and herbs and you will also find the occasional old woman or man asking for alms. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, Anuradhapura is believed to have been the capital of the Sinhalese from 4 BC to 11 AD. The sprawling complex of ruins contains a rich collection of archaeological and architectural wonders built during Anuradhapura’s thousand years of rule. A tour of the Sacred City includes places of veneration such as gigantic Stupas and the sacred Bo tree or the Sri Maha Bodhi as it is known to the Buddhists. It is said to be the oldest documented tree on earth. Stroll past the ruins of ancient palaces, administrative buildings, a hospital and ancient bathing tanks with ingenious filtering systems and some of the most complex irrigation systems of the ancient world.