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- Cultural Triangle
- Overview
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Cultural Triangle holidays
The sacred cities of Anuradhapura and Sigiriya, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa and the Golden Temple of Dambulla together make up Sri Lanka’s famed cultural triangle. The picturesque region, situated to the north of Kandy, is an ideal setting from which to discover Sri Lanka’s cultural and religious history, lost cities, ruined palaces, cave temples, striking murals and centuries-old frescoes. Any first-time visit to Sri Lanka cannot be complete without a trip to the cultural triangle.
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Places to Visit
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, ancient Sri Lanka’s first capital, was founded during the 4th century BC by the Sinhalese King Pandukhabaya. Considered the cradle of Sri Lankan Buddhism, the town of Anuradhapura was established around the sacred Maha Bodhi tree, which is believed to have grown out of the sapling of the original fig tree in India under which Buddha attained enlightenment. The town flourished for over 1,300 years as the political and religious capital of ancient Sri Lanka. Following an invasion in 993 AD, the town was abandoned. The history of the city is documented in the Buddhist chronicle Mahavamsa. It was designated a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1982. Current-day Anuradhapura with its monasteries and monuments is one of the must see sites in Sri Lanka
Dambulla
Dambulla is located 72 km north of Kandy, within Sri Lanka’s ‘Cultural Triangle’. It is an ideal and picturesque setting to base oneself whilst exploring the sights of the ancient city regions of Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa, surrounded by jungle and lush green hills as far as the eye can see
Sigiriya
The ancient town of Sigiriya, set within Sri Lanka's 'Cultural Triangle' is an ideal and picturesque setting in which to base oneself whilst exploring the historic ruins of Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa. The renowned rock citadel built during the 5th century dominates the landscape and is one of Sri Lanka's major attractions
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Read more"Sri Lanka is a most beautiful Island and there is so much to see. To me, highlights were the elephant orphanage, the tea plantations and the safari but I did also enjoy visiting the temples and learning the culture."
Miss Gillian Cowley
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