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Ritigala Forest Monastery, Anuradhapura

4.5

#5 of 15 in Historic Sites in Anuradhapura

Historic Site Tourist Spot

• ©

Witness the remnants of an ancient culture as you trek the winding forest paths at Ritigala Forest Monastery. Originally inhabited by local aboriginals called Yukas, the ruins of the monastery complex are linked by stone paths that lead through the old trees of the jungle. Look for the ancient man-made reservoir, most likely used for ritual bathing purposes: dating between 437 and 367 BCE, it represents an engineering marvel for its time. Hire a knowledgeable guide that can explain the significance of each of the monastery ruins. As you walk between sites, listen to the sounds of the jungle, and contemplate the transportation of heavy rocks necessary for the complex's construction. Choose to start, finish, or center your holiday on a trip to Ritigala Forest Monastery by using our Anuradhapura trip planning site.

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Ritigala Forest Monastery Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

302 reviews

• By newtraveller111

  Unesco Site an ongoing archaelogical dig. Very interesting. Bit of a clinb to get to main building over rocks and streams but worth the effort. The viewes for the Library was great.plenty of trees...  more »

• By dilashdesilva

  Most mysterious place in Sri Lanka with a written history of more than 2000 yrs and folklore history going upto several thousand yrs .  more »

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