What to know before you go.
Researched by Sarisara, with sources.
Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s capital for well over a thousand years, starting many centuries before the modern calendar began, and is considered the cradle of Theravada Buddhism on the island. Unlike Sigiriya or Polonnaruwa, it is still a living place of worship today, not only a set of ruins — pilgrims visit every day, and the crowds grow much larger on Poya, the monthly full-moon holy day.
At the centre of the sacred city stands the Sri Maha Bodhi, said to be the oldest documented tree in the world grown from a known cutting: tradition holds that it grew from a branch of the actual tree under which the Buddha reached enlightenment in India, brought to Sri Lanka and planted here. Nearby rise two of the largest stupas ever built in brick, the Ruwanwelisaya and the Jetavanaramaya, both domed monuments that once ranked among the tallest structures in the ancient world. The Abhayagiri area adds its own dagoba, the carved Samadhi Buddha statue, and the Kuttam Pokuna, a pair of ancient bathing ponds built for the monks who lived here by the thousand.
UNESCO listed the Sacred City of Anuradhapura as a World Heritage Site in 1982. Because the holy area is spread across more than 100 square kilometres, most visitors use a bicycle or a tuk-tuk to move between the different stupas rather than walking the whole distance. Many of the walking areas around the biggest stupas are barefoot zones, so the heat of the stone under your feet is as much a part of the visit as the history.
Entrance tickets are not included in Sarisara prices. Please pay them in cash at the gate.
Last checked: 21 Oct 2026. Prices are set by the temple and can change.
From the Central Cultural Fund's own price list (ccf.gov.lk, read 20 Oct 2026), covering the Jetavanaramaya and Abhayagiri sacred areas. The Sri Maha Bodhi tree shrine itself has no entry fee. Not included in your Sarisara price — paid at the gate in Sri Lankan rupees at the day's rate, or by card.
Cover your shoulders and knees, remove shoes and any hat at every stupa and shrine, and dress modestly throughout — this is a living pilgrimage site, not only a ruin.
Not dressed right? Anuradhapura is an active pilgrimage site, and the cover-up rule is enforced at every stupa the same way it is at a working temple. No rental service for cover-ups is confirmed at every entrance, so dress correctly before you arrive.
No official page giving hours for the whole sacred city was found; the hours above come from independent travel guides only and should be checked with your guide.
Central Cultural Fund and the Anuradhapura Preservation Board (Government of Sri Lanka) Official website
Anuradhapura, Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka
Trips, experiences and stays in and around Anuradhapura.
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Fire dancers light the road before the elephants of the Esala Perahera.
