Ancient Cities Of Sri Lanka: Top 4 Destinations To Bring You Back In Time

Sri Lanka, with its tradition and historical background, offers tourists a distinctive journey. One of which is an exposure to the ancient cities in the various regions, which represent religion, architecture, and lifestlye of the earlier times.

Here are five destinations that would express the country's exceptionality as a nation. These major 4 places will surely transport you to the past.

1. Anuradhapura

Established as the capital city of the Anuradhapura district and is regarded as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this place is very special to Sri Lankans. It symbolizes the civilization of Sri Lanka from the 4^th Century BC until the 11^th Century AD. This region was the heart and core of Buddhism for a long time.

2. Sigiriya

Known as the Lion Rock, this fortress represents the ingenuity of the people in engineering. It is labelled as a UNESCO World Heritage site because of the creation of a marvellous city around the base of a rock. Surrounding the city is an impressive irrigation method and the rock served as the citadel for the palace of the then King Kasyapa.

3. Galle

The Galle fortress is an illustration of the combination of Portuguese and ancient architectural designs. History says that Galle was a seaport for trade between Europe and Asia. When the Portuguese came, this fortress once became a prison ground for the Sri Lankans who were against the Portuguese rule. The Dutch helped to capture the fort from the Portuguese and gradually added more amenities such as residential quarters and warehouses.

4. Kandy

Kandy, the Hill Capital, is home to these significant Buddhist temples of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Malwatte and Asgiriya Monasteries, Degaldoruwa, Embekke Devale, Lankathilaka Viharaya and Gadaladeniy. It is no wonder that Kandy is acclaimed to be the religious and cultural center of Sri Lanka.

These 4 regions are distinctive of the historical and traditional aspects that each represent. Though they are located far from each other, they illustrate the exceptional prehistoric Sri Lanka--something that visitors should definitely take time knowing.