North Central is the largest province in Sri Lanka.
Cities
[edit]
Map of North Central Province
- 1 Anuradhapura — see the beautiful ancient ruins in this UNESCO World Heritage listed city
- 2 Habarana
- 3 Polonnaruwa
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Kaudulla National Park — lesser-known place to see elephants in about 20 km away from Minneriya
- 2 Minneriya National Park — main destination to see elephants
Understand
[edit]This province is home to the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. These were the capitals of the Anuradhapura kingdom (437 BCE–1017 CE) and the Polonnaruwa kingdom (1070–1232 CE) respectively.
Get in
[edit]Anuradhapura Airport (ACJ IATA), Hingurakgoda Airport (HIM IATA)
Anuradhapura railway station is 200 km by train from Colombo.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- In Anuradhapura you can see many Buddhist temples. This includes Ruwanwelisaya, a sacred Buddhist stupa built by King Dutugemunu in 140 BCE. It is one of the tallest stupas in the world. The Anuradhapura Museum is located nearby
- Isurumuniya Temple – A Buddhist temple famous for its carvings, including the Isurumuniya Lovers, Elephant Pond, and The Royal Family
- Gal Vihara – A rock temple in Polonnaruwa, featuring stunning carved granite Buddha statues
- Mihintale — birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Mountain and temple complex 14 km from Anuradhapura.
- Ritigala — an ancient 2000-year old mountain monastery and nature reserve 40 km from Anuradhapura
Do
[edit]Catch the elephant gatherings at either Kaudulla or Minneriya National Parks.
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Stay safe
[edit]Go next
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