Sri Lanka interesting facts. Interesting facts about Sri Lanka. Holidays and religion

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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka official name is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, a state in South Asia, on the island of the same name off the southeast coast of Hindustan.

Translated from Sanskrit, the name Sri Lanka means glorious, blessed land.

The area of ​​Sri Lanka is 65,610 km². The population is almost 22,000,000 people.

It is a democratic socialist republic governed by a President elected for a term of 6 years. The President appoints the Prime Minister, who in turn forms the cabinet.

Facts about Sri Lanka

Elephants are the symbols of Sri Lanka, so these animals are especially revered in this state.

The country began to be called Sri Lanka only on May 22, 1972. Up to this point, the island has changed many names. The indigenous people always called it Lanka - which means land in the Sinhalese language. He later became known as Taprobane.

The national cuisine of Sri Lanka has taken a lot from Indian cuisine.

Official capital: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (seat of parliament and supreme court), de facto capital: Colombo (seat of government, seat of the president).

Residents of Sri Lanka mainly move with the help of tricycles and mopeds.

Kandaswami is a Hindu temple in Nallur, a small town near the capital of the Northern Province of the Republic of Sri Lanka, Jaffna. The temple, dedicated to the god of war Skanda, is one of the most revered shrines of the Tamils.

The island of Sri Lanka is located in South Asia, a little east of the southern tip of Hindustan, and is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.

Sinhala and Tamil are the official and national languages ​​of Sri Lanka. According to the constitution of Sri Lanka, English has the official status of the language of interethnic communication.

In the reservoirs of Sri Lanka, there are 50 species of freshwater fish, of which 17 were introduced by the British in the 19th century. Of the 38 amphibians, 16 are unique.

Sri Lanka has a very diverse flora and fauna.

Adam's Peak - Mountain on the island of Sri Lanka. In Sinhala, it means mountain of butterflies. This is how the Arabs and Europeans call a mountain 2243 meters high, lying in the western part of the island of Sri Lanka, in the southern mountainous area of ​​​​Konda-Uda, called Samanella or Gamalel by the Sinhalese and 65 km away from Colombo to the east-southeast. Buddhists consider this mountain sacred. At its top, on a bare, barren granite platform, there is a space 21 m long, 10 m wide, surrounded by a 1 m high wall, among which rises a small open temple. Under this temple, on a prominent rock, one can see the “Sacred Footprint”, that is, the footprint of the Buddha, representing a depression that has received the shape of a foot by human efforts.

Milk and fish in the markets of Sri Lanka are sold not chilled.

In Sri Lanka, you can restore not only the body, but also the spirit. Ayurveda, the oldest system of medicine in the world, remains the most popular method to rejuvenate a tired body and calm a weary soul. Ayurvedic programs consist of a range of herbal treatments and various types of baths and massages, as well as cleansing and rejuvenation techniques such as yoga, meditation and special diets.

In Sri Lanka, yogurt is sold in special clay pots.

For 3-4 days of rest in Sri Lanka, you can experience the tropics on the coast of the Indian Ocean, enjoy the sun on the endless sandy beaches, see the ancient shrines of Buddhism and the oldest Bodhi tree, which is more than 2250 years old, take a South African jeep safari in the national reserve, enjoy temperate climate of the central part of the island, admire the waterfalls and feel the coolness of the highlands, where the best famous Ceylon tea grows on foggy plantations.

The sari is considered the main attire of the women of Sri Lanka.

Temple of the Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka, one of the main shrines of the island.

The main economic center of the country and the largest port is Colombo.

Most of the territory is occupied by coastal lowlands. The mountains are located in the central part of the country; the highest peak is Mount Pidurutalagala (2524 m), another famous peak is Adam's Peak (2243 m).

Shambhala is considered an interesting spice of this state.

An orphanage for wild elephants, located northwest of the city of Kegal in Sri Lanka. The shelter was opened in 1975 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation of Sri Lanka on the territory of a coconut plantation on the Maha Oya River. Initially, the shelter was opened with the aim of rescuing and caring for many elephants found in the jungle abandoned by their parents. In 2008, the shelter had 84 elephants.

The front seats on Sri Lankan buses are reserved for monks and pregnant women.

Of the 450 species of birds found on the island, representatives of 251 species are its permanent inhabitants. Of these, 24 are found only in Sri Lanka. Migratory birds arrive on the island for wintering from Siberia, Europe, Scandinavia. In March-April, during the migration period, you can observe a huge variety of butterflies, of which there are 240 species on the island.

Sri Lanka is considered the main exporter of jewelry.

Dambulla is a cave Buddhist temple of the 1st century BC. e., carved into the rock, with numerous statues of the Buddha. The Stone Temple of the Sleeping Buddha is the largest cave temple in South Asia. The temple has been a sacred place of pilgrimage for 22 centuries. It is located in the city of Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, 148 km from Colombo, near the city of Matale.

Residents of Sri Lanka do not use toilet paper, but for tourists it is sold at a price of 2 times more.

In Sri Lanka, various cutlets, pies, malu pang (fish bun), and kimbula banis (crocodile-shaped bun) are found.
Mango fruits, pineapples, bananas, papaya, and the lesser known but wonderful sapodilla, mangosteen, rambutan, woodapple (a fruit with a very hard skin called a wood apple), durian, passion fruit, avocado, etc.

The Egyptians first discovered cinnamon in Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya is a rocky plateau rising 370 meters above sea level and about 170 meters above the surrounding plain in the very center of Sri Lanka. Since 1982, Sigiriya has been under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Tea plantations are the most visited place in Sri Lanka.

In 1971, a youth uprising led by the Popular Liberation Front, organized by Rohan Wijeweer, failed.

The economy has developed the production of natural rubber, cinnamon; mining of precious stones (Ratnapura).

Galle - A city and port in the southwest of Sri Lanka, the capital of the Southern Province. The population is 104.2 thousand people. Connected by rail to Colombo and Matara. Historian James Emerson Tennent believed that Galle corresponded to the Old Testament city of Tarshish, from which King Solomon exported Sri Lankan gems and ivory.

Coconut moonshine (arak) is considered the main strong drink on this island.

Kelani is a river in Sri Lanka. It is the fourth longest river in the country, originates from Mount Adam's Peak and flows into the Laccadive Sea at Colombo. It flows through the districts of Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Gampaha and Colombo.

Sri Lankan trains run with the door open.

Old Parliament - The building that now houses the Secretariat of the President of Sri Lanka. The building is located in the Fort area of ​​the capital of the island - the city of Colombo, close to the sea, in the immediate vicinity of it is the Presidential House. The building housed the island's parliament for 53 years until a new parliament building complex at Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte was opened in 1983.

On the territory of Sri Lanka, despite the high population density, there are 12 national parks, 3 reserves and 51 reservations, which occupy 14% of the island. Among them are Mineriya, Sinharaja, Bundala, Vilpatu, Wasgamuwa, Udawalawe and Yala.

The famous writer Michael Ondaje is from Sri Lanka.

The oldest inhabitants of the island - the ancestors of the Veddas - belonged to the Australo-Veddoid race. The Sinhalese arrived on the island around the 6th century BC. e. from northern India.

This country has 2 capitals: actual and official.

In Sri Lanka, as in all countries of South Asia, cricket is traditionally popular. In 1996, the Sri Lankan team won the world championship in this sport.

Uda Walawe is a National Park located on the border of the provinces of Sabaragamuwa and Uva in the south of Sri Lanka, 165 km from Colombo. The national park was created to provide shelter for wild animals displaced by the construction of a reservoir on the Walava River, as well as to protect the catchment reservoir.

Umbrellas in Sri Lanka do not protect from rain, but from the sun.

Pidurutalagala is a mountain peak in Sri Lanka, also known as Mount Pedro. The highest point of the Republic of Sri Lanka. It rises to 2524 m above the ocean level and 500-700 m above the adjacent plateau.

Year-round air temperature on this island is almost the same.

In 1506, the Portuguese navigator Lourenço de Almeida discovered the island of Ceylon, and during the 16th century the Portuguese occupied the coast of the island.

Unawatuna (Coastal town in the Galle region, Sri Lanka) is one of the main tourist destinations in the country - famous for its beaches and coral reefs.

There are turtle hatcheries in Sri Lanka.

The wealth of culture of Sri Lanka has been recognized by UNESCO, which has declared 7 archaeological sites of the country as World Heritage Sites:
The sacred city of Anuradhapura (4th century BC) - the first ancient capital
The ancient city of Polonnaruwa (10th century AD) - the second ancient capital
Golden Cave Temple at Dambulla (1st century BC)
Lion fortress on the rock of Sigiriya (5th century AD).

The inhabitants of this island do not say "thank you".

Jami Ul Alfar Mosque - Located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Architect G. L. Saibo Lebbe, construction began in 1908 and ended the following year in 1909. It is in the standard South Indian style and resembles a mosque also completed in 1909 - Jamek Mosque, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Appearance and its feature, it is striped, like a layered red and white cake.

In December 2004, the country was hit hard by a tsunami caused by an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra. More than 38 thousand people died, 6 thousand went missing, hundreds of thousands lost their homes.

When buying water in this state, the store will offer to cool the purchase for a fee.

Hakgala Botanical Garden - Botanical garden in Sri Lanka. The Botanical Garden is a member of the international organization of botanical gardens, international identification code HAKGL.

There are various hotel options in Sri Lanka. In Colombo you will find modern 5* hotels as well as colonial era hotels where you can feel the charm and romance of past centuries.

When buying an elephant in Sri Lanka, documents are issued for it.

Since 1983, there has been a civil war in Sri Lanka between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla organization. After many setbacks and several truces, government forces managed to defeat the Tigers. On May 18, 2009, the 50,000-strong group of Sri Lankan government troops completed the last operation in the civil war.

Kindergartens in Sri Lanka are open from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., mothers need this time to relax.

A woman's smile in Sri Lanka is denoted by flirting.

Polonnaruwa - The medieval capital of Sri Lanka, located in the North Central Province, 214 km northeast of Colombo. Of greatest interest is the stone temple of Gal Vihara, the most famous temple in Sri Lanka. Four Buddha statues in various poses are carved into the granite rock and date back to the 12th century. Despite their colossal size, the sculptures are very realistic. Of great interest is the third statue depicting the Buddha in an unusual pose with crossed arms on his chest. This posture is widely practiced in India. It is believed that the goal of the sculptor of antiquity was the desire to belittle the divine nature of the Buddha, emphasizing his humanity.

The island produces about 10% of all tea in the world, which is more than 305 thousand tons per year (3rd place, after India and China).

The many-sided civilization of Sri Lanka has rewarded the island with an amazing cultural heritage of colorful festivals related to Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.

Tourism plays an ever-increasing role in the country's economy (9% of GDP in 2004). Seaside resort towns (Moratuwa, Galle), historical sights of Kandy, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, the mountain resort of Nuwara Eliya are popular. Tourists also visit tea plantations, national parks and religious and historical monuments of Buddhism, for example, the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy (the ancient capital of the island), which houses one of the most revered Buddhist shrines - the tooth of the Buddha.

Sri Lankans start their morning with meditation and gymnastics.

Anuradhapura is a city in Sri Lanka, the administrative center of the North Central Province and the district of Anuradhapura. The population is about 63 thousand people. Located on the river Aruvi. It consists of an "old city", which contains an archaeological area and several temples, and a "new city", separated by a river, which contains residential areas and a tourist area. The resettlement to the new city was undertaken in the 1950s by the government in order to protect the archaeological sites.

Sri Lanka is rich in sapphires and emeralds.

The coast is 1.340 km long. is an ideal place for windsurfing, water skiing and scootering, surfing, sailing, scuba diving (including wreck diving), snorkelling, speed boats, riding on an inflatable "banana".

For the shape of this island, Sri Lanka is often called the "tear of India."

Source-Internet

Sri Lanka - the most interesting facts for travelers (151 facts) updated: December 11, 2017 by: site

During the month of traveling around Sri Lanka, we saw a lot of interesting and unusual things - based on our impressions and observations, we compiled these 50 facts:

1. translated from Sanskrit means "Blessed Land".

2.Sri Lankans- this is the official name of the inhabitants of Sri Lanka.

3.Ceylon- the former name of the country, until 1972.

4.Sri Lankan burghers- this is an ethnic community in Sri Lanka, descendants from marriages of Europeans with Sri Lankan women.

5.Poya days is a Buddhist holiday that is celebrated every full moon. This is an official national holiday, on which official institutions, banks, most shops and markets do not work. The sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages is also prohibited on these days.

6. Actual but not official is the capital of the country. The official capital is the city of Sri Jayawardenepuru Kotte

7.Name "Colombo" comes from the Sinhala "kola-amba-thota" which means "mango harbour".

8. Alut Avurudu- Sri Lankan New Year, associated with the lunar cycles. It begins in accordance with the calculations of astrologers and.

9.Nonagataya- a neutral period (temporal vacuum) between the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one, which can be several hours.

10.Difference between maximum and minimum temperature during the year on the island does not exceed 5º C.

11. Main religion Sri Lanka - Buddhism, 70% of the population adhere to it here. The remaining 20% ​​are Hindus and 10% are Muslims and Christians.

12.buddha tooth- one of the most revered Buddhist shrines is located in and is kept in the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

13.Snorkeling and diving developed on the east coast of the island - in the sea there is a coral reef and exotic fish.

14. Cost of livingin Sri Lanka hotels often voiced excluding taxes - it is better to clarify this point in advance or be ready for an additional 10% on the bill.

15. Housing prices in budget guesthouses for backpackers, they range from 500-800 rupees ($ 4-7) and from 1000-1200 rupees ($ 8-10), when renting for a long time - cheaper.

16. traded Sri Lankans are not very willing - neither in guesthouses, nor in the markets. They throw off quite a bit, very stubborn, but there are exceptions.

17. Sri Lankans do not like to show that they don’t know something - they’d rather be sent in the other direction than admit that they don’t know the way.

31. Russian tourists they are found in Sri Lanka, but not very often, while this country is not yet heavily occupied by compatriots.

32. If you have exceeded allowed 30 days of stay in the country, then a fine of $ 25 must be paid at the exit. If there is no strong desire to pay, then you will simply be entered into the database and the fine will need to be paid the next time you visit Sri Lanka.

33. Couchsurfing Sri Lanka is not very developed, we met with couchsurfers only in large cities - and.

34. Smoking fine in public places is 5000 rupees ($40)

35.Maximum allowed speed throughout Sri Lanka -÷ 72 km / h, a fine for exceeding 2300 rupees (about $ 20).

36. Every bus driver, apparently, dreams of becoming a Formula 1 pilot. A full passenger compartment is not a hindrance to rapid acceleration, hard braking and overtaking when cornering

37.Buses and trains often clogged to the eyeballs, and if it seems that it is already impossible to get inside, in principle, there will almost certainly be five more locals who will be able to squeeze in there by some miracle

38.For pregnant women and monks are the front seats in the bus. Moreover, we have never seen pregnant women on buses, but monks are often seen.

39. Train tickets they are very cheap in the country, but despite this, many locals buy tickets to the nearest station - controllers are extremely rare on trains.

40. cellular very cheap: 1 minute and 1 sms about 1.5 rupees ($0.01), 500 MB of mobile internet traffic 185 rupees ($1.5).

41.Schools in the country free, but for 300 rupees per month ($ 2.5) you can allow your child to study at an international school with the study of English.

42.Local with open umbrella quite often you can meet on the street, but they hide not from the rain, but from the sun. You can buy an umbrella even in a food shop

If you arrived in Sri Lanka on vacation, then most likely there are not so many blank pages left in your passport. Or you are passionate about tea, or are very thermophilic, or are fond of diving and surfing, or exploring ancient cultures. In any case, there is something to see here, they promise a rich pastime. Here are some simple truths about this country that are useful to remind yourself before traveling:

Name. Sri Lanka was called Ceylon until 1972 and was a British Dominion. Since 1972, it ceased to be a dominion and acquired a new name. Translated from Sanskrit, "Sri Lanka" means "blessed land", while the locals received the ethnonym "Sri Lankans". Earlier, the Dutch and the Portuguese were also noted in the colonialists of Sri Lanka.

Capital. The capital of Sri Lanka should be sought in Colombo. Previously, it was Colombo that was considered the capital of the country, but now the administrative center of Sri Lanka is a Colombian suburb in a swampy lowland with a very simple name, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. The name "Colombo" comes from the Sinhala expression "kola-amba-thota" and translates as "mango harbour". By the way, the sweet aroma of mango has permeated Sri Lanka through and through, it seems that everything here smells like mango.

Ashes and Snow, Gregory Colbert, 2002

Population. Almost 22 million inhabitants live in Sri Lanka, 75% of which are Sinhalese, 16% Tamils, another 7% Moors and Malays, and the minority are children from marriages of Sri Lankans and immigrants from Europe - burghers - and local Aborigines - inhabitants of the forest from the Vedda tribe. There are no more than three thousand of the latter left, and the history of the tribe has been around for about 16 thousand years.

James Morgan, 2012

Religion. Sinhalese, that is, three-quarters of the entire population of the country, profess Buddhism. Tamils ​​are Hindus by religion, while Moors and Malays are Muslims. By law, the religious holidays of each of these three religions mark a public holiday. And the hard-working Sri Lankans like it very much. The holidays here are colorful and deeply traditional. And between the old and new years there is a kind of intertime - nonagataya - several hours of temporary vacuum.

Climate. The subequatorial monsoon climate is the main advantage of the island, where the inhabitants of continental countries, for example, run away from winter. In Sri Lanka, the difference between the maximum and minimum annual temperatures almost never exceeds 5 ° C. Good news for avid freezers: the air temperature here all year round stays in the range of 28-32°C, and the water is -25-28°C. The sun is brutally friendly. Therefore, almost everywhere on the streets you can buy an umbrella to protect against sticky rays.

There are enough attractions in Sri Lanka:

• Kumana National Park, replete with lagoons and plains and a variety of birds.
• The city of Colombo, in which mansions and quarters of colonial architecture of the 17th-20th centuries have been preserved. Here you can walk along the alleys of Victoria Central Park, the seaside square-Park Halle Face Green, Chinamon Gardens, take pictures at the old lighthouse and clock tower, admire the luxury of the Presidential Palace. The Pettah area in Old Colombo is rich in shops, markets and shops. One cannot fail to notice the temples of the city, the Buddhist monasteries of Gotami Vihara, Vaijyaramara and Dipaddutaramaya, the Hindu Kottahena and Kochchikade, the Christian churches of St. Andrew, St. Lucia, St. Peter, the Scottish Presbyterian Church and others. The state zoo is also worth a visit.

• The Kandy Valley is the cradle of Sri Lankan statehood. The main shrine of the country is also located here - the Temple of the Sacred Tooth of the Buddha Dalada Maligawa. In the suburbs of Kandy lies the Royal Botanical Garden of Paradenia, which cherishes the richest collection of subequatorial and tropical plants in the world.
• The sacred city of Anuradhapura is interesting for its temple complex - vihara. Once upon a time, members of the royal family rested here.

• Sigiriya - Lion Mountain - is the ruins of an impregnable (in the distant past) fortress built on the mountain.
• The city of Dambulla is famous for its cave temples to the Buddha (one of the five temples is dedicated to the god Vishnu). Not far from Dambulla there is Mihintale Hill, which keeps the traces of Gautama Buddha himself, around which discussions are centered in the scientific and secular worlds, but in the meantime, thousands of pilgrims visit this sacred place.
• The town of Negombo is the unofficial center of Christianity in Sri Lanka. The beaches of this "little Rome" are empty due to the unpopularity of the place among tourists. Here it is, the opportunity for fishing.
• The city of Pinavella is famous for its elephant nursery.
• The temple complex at Aluvihara is known as the site of the creation of the Tripitaka, the Pali Canon, one of the written monuments of Buddhism.
• Sinharaja Biological Reserve, Bundala National Park, Yalla National Zoological Park, Kozgody Turtle Farms, Hikkaduwa Coral Sanctuary, Ratnapura Jewelry Workshops… Just make sure to explore.

Rebellious years. Until 2009, the economy of Sri Lanka suffered from a civil war - a confrontation between the government of the country and the rebel movement "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam". Now it is gradually gaining momentum, but the prices for services and goods in the country will remain at a relatively ridiculous level for a long time to come. A nice feature of rest in exotic countries.

Kitchen. The national dishes of the Sri Lankans took a lot from Indian cuisine. Almost all of them are brutally sharp. The most popular products are rice, legumes, seafood (sometimes all this can be prepared in the form of a curry - a stew of a thick dish). Sri Lanka has a lot of coconuts and bananas, but there are no tomatoes, for example. And if SUDDENLY there are at least some nondescript ones, then the prices for them are damn high. Food here is served almost everywhere on decent dishes. This even applies to the local fast food - cotta. True, a bag is pre-put on the plates in order to save on washing dishes. After that, your life will never be the same again, the temptation to give up the unloved duty of washing dishes in general is too great.

Communications. Transport in Sri Lanka is a whole story. Schumacher lives in every bus driver, who is not embarrassed even to the eyeballs by the passenger compartment of the vehicle, for which he is also responsible. Despite this, accidents on the streets are very rare. Keep in mind that the movement in Sri Lanka is left-handed (a relic of the times of the British Dominion; all tourists, without exception, are still called "Mr" and "Ma'am" for the same reason). Trains run with open doors, and people stuffed into the cars like sprats in a can hang from them, holding on to the handrails. Monks and pregnant women are assigned seats at the beginning of the salon, but you will not find the second ones in transport during the day with fire. Although in India it looks even more fun when the train looks more like a "human cage". Cellular communications and the Internet are also, unlike other countries, cheap.

Penalties. A fine for smoking in a public place will cost you $40. For speeding (the limit across the country is crazy 72 km / h) you will have to pay $20. And if you have exceeded the thirty days allotted for you to visit the country, you will have to pay a fine of $ 25 to the state of Sri Lanka. If you don't, you will be reminded of this the next time you return to the country. So do not anger the harsh Sri Lankans!

Souvenirs. As a souvenir from Sri Lanka, you can bring jewelry with sapphires and other precious stones. Local women are very fond of jewelry, and trinkets dear to their hearts are very inexpensive here. You can also take a couple of saris with you, the cost of this popular women's outfit usually ranges from $15-20. You can take home up to 6 kg of Ceylon tea. And you can buy an elephant for $100,000. But don't be in a hurry, elephants, you know, are big mischief-makers. There are many of them in Sri Lanka, in addition to nature reserves, they live in temples (one at a time, sometimes in pairs), and also live in the wild and sometimes make “raids” on Sri Lankan villages. Animals carry everything that can be destroyed, find salt (they love it passionately), eat it up and calmly go home.

We invite you to explore the rest of the interesting things about Sri Lanka on your own. Most importantly, do not forget about hygiene, do not drink fresh water, be careful with exotic dishes and, when taking off your shoes at the entrance to a Buddhist temple, put on disposable socks. Have a nice trip and bright impressions!

What to see in Sri Lanka? We have collected in one article the best sights of Sri Lanka that you must visit while relaxing on the island: photo, video and description, as well as a map with their location.

Guided tours or independent visits?

Most of the sights of the island of Sri Lanka can be seen both as part of an excursion and on your own.

If you have time, it is more convenient to rent a car and travel around all the interesting places in Sri Lanka on your own. If you came to rest on a tour for 5-14 days, you will have to choose only a few of their available places, since it is impossible to visit them all in a short time.

How to find cheap flights? They are easy to find through the Aviasales search engine. It is best to look for tickets in advance and consider different departure dates.

What to visit in Sri Lanka: TOP 10 interesting places

Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura - the first capital of ancient Ceylon, is located 200 km northeast of Colombo. You can get from the capital by bus, which is on the way for 6 hours. There is a railway connection between the cities, the train takes 5 hours.

All attractions are concentrated in the old city of Anuradhapura. Entrance to tourists is paid everywhere, but you can buy a single ticket for 3,700 rupees. The ticket allows you to visit the Abhayagiri complex.

All monuments can be viewed in two days. Due to the heat, it is recommended to view the sights from some kind of transport: a bus or a rental car. A parking space costs about 25 rupees.

The Bodhi tree, sacred to Buddhists, is worth a visit. This ancient ficus grew from a shoot taken from the tree under which the Buddha became enlightened. Therefore, the Bodhi tree is the most sacred and most ancient in Sri Lanka.

Inspection of the sacred tree will cost the tourist 200 rupees.

Video about the sights of the city of Anuradhapura:

What can be seen nearby:

• The Bronze Palace is located 50 meters from the Bodhi tree. It was built before our era and lost its original appearance. It is forbidden to enter the palace grounds.
• You can visit the largest brick stupa, Jetavana, for free. This large building was erected in the third century AD. It is located 300 m from the tree.
• At a distance of one kilometer from Bodhi is the Isurumuniya Palace, carved into the rock. It was built before our era. Entrance is paid and costs 200 rupees.
• You can visit the stupas of Ruvanvelisia and Mirisaveti for free. Both structures are located 200 meters from the tree.
• In the northern part of the city is the Abhayagiri complex. On its territory is the second highest stupa of the city of Anuradhapura, there are statues of Buddha, a museum, a pond and two lakes.
• You can visit the caves of Vessagiriya, the royal palace of King Vijayabahu and artificial reservoirs for free.
• A visit to the Museum of Folk Art will cost 300 rupees.

Gal Viharaya in Polonnaruwa

Monuments in Polonnaruwa are available not only for viewing with group tours, but they can be visited independently and explored in 2 days.

In Polonnaruwa, you should definitely see the Temple in the Rock or Gal Viharaya with its huge Buddha statues. This temple has no analogues and is located on the territory of a huge Archaeological Park. Entrance to the park is paid, the ticket price is 3250 rupees.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Polonnaruwa Museum. The territory of the park is huge, and it is recommended to move around it by car, motorcycle or bicycle.

On the territory of the park there are several temples and monasteries, a stupa, a complex of the royal palace. There are also artificial reservoirs and stupas.

Photo and description: Gal Viharaya © vasse nicolas,antoine / flickr.com

How to get there:

• Polonnaruwa is located 200 km east of Colombo. It is very inexpensive and convenient to travel to Polonnaruwa by train. There are two flights: one train leaves early in the morning and arrives at noon. The second departs at 7pm and arrives in Polonnaruwa at midnight. The ticket costs from 185 to 600 rupees.
• The second option is bus service. Due to the heat, it is better to leave on the earliest possible flight. The duration of the trip from Colombo to Polonnaruwa is 6 hours, and the ticket costs 160 rupees.

Attractions of Sri Lanka nearby:

• Hindu complex Naipen Vihara;
• Palace of King Nissankamalla;
• The ruins of the library and the statue of King Parakramabahu, 2.5 kilometers from the park;
• Near the ruins of the library, you can see the Parakrama Sea - this is a lake created by order of the king.

Sigiriya

One of the most famous sights of Sri Lanka according to TripAdvisor is Sigiriya (Lion Mountain). This is a 370 m high rock with a complex of cultural monuments inside and on top. It is the object of many tourist routes and is protected by UNESCO.

Tickets to visit cost 3900 rupees. The price includes a visit to the museum, where they will tell the history of all the buildings.

Panorama overlooking the Lion Rock:

How to get there:

• You can get there by buses No. 48 and 49 from the Pettah bus station in Colombo to the Inamaluwa stop. There you need to transfer to bus No. 490/1, following the route Dambulla - Sigiriya. The total travel time will be 6 hours.
• From Colombo, buses towards Lion Mountain leave every 30 minutes.

What you can see near Sigiriya:

• Pidrunagala cave temple, located 1.5 km north of Sigiriya, entrance tickets cost 200 rupees;
• Dambula city and cave temple;
• City of Polonarawa with landmarks.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy

Kandy is the second most populated city, located literally in the center of Sri Lanka.

The city is famous for its Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is the main Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. It is located on the shore of a man-made lake. The temple itself has retained its original architecture, which can be seen from the outside and inside. Entrance to the temple is paid - 1500 rupees.

How to get there:

• To get to Kandy from Colombo, you need to drive 120 km, moving directly to the east by bus No1, departing from the Pettah bus station. Travel time will be 4 hours.
• Even faster you can get from Colombo to Kandy by train, in just 2.5 hours.

In addition to this Buddhist shrine in Kandy, there are other attractions worth seeing:

• The largest botanical garden in Asia is located 12 kilometers from the city.
• Elephant nursery, where they bring up little elephants left without mothers.
• A stone's throw from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth is the National Museum of Kandy. It occupies part of the royal palace, and the royal regalia and other historical artifacts are kept there. The ticket price is 500 rupees. Here, on the territory of the palace, is the International Museum of Buddhism. Entrance to the museum costs 500 rupees.
• There are four Hindu temples not far from the Temple of the Tooth Relic. There are Hindu temples outside of Kandy.
• Within the city there is an amazing reserve Udawattakele - the forbidden forest, a piece of the wild nature of Sri Lanka. It must be visited to understand what the real nature of the island looks like.

Wilpattu National Park

Wilpattu Park is located 180 km north of Colombo and 30 km west of Anuradhapura. Within its borders there are six dozen lakes. In terms of size, Wilpattu Park is the largest in the world. It is also the oldest park in the world.

In order to see more attractions in the park, it is worth renting a car. Entrance costs 2300 rupees.

There is a huge number of local and arriving birds. There is a Bengal monitor lizard, a large and active predator. You can also see local swamp crocodiles reaching 4 meters in length.

The park is home to deer and monkeys, as well as elephants and leopards.

How to get there:

• From Colombo and other cities you can come here by bus. The driver must be warned in advance to stop at Wilpattu Park.

What to see nearby:

• Sights of the city of Anuradhapura;
• Temple of Mihintale.

Golden Temple in Dambulla

The Golden Temple is located in the small town of Dambulla and is part of a whole temple complex, consisting of six temples and caves. The city is located near the rock of Sigiriya. You can see everything in 1 day.

The complex was built in the first century BC. In the twelfth century, more than 70 gilded Buddha statues were installed here.

Very close to the Golden Temple is the Buddhist Museum. There are also ticket offices where you can buy tickets to the temple, which costs about 1,500 rupees.

There are many paintings on the theme of the earthly life of the Buddha, as well as water that does not obey gravity and flows upwards.

Panorama from the mountainside where the temple is located:

How to get there:

• You can get to Dambula from almost any city by bus. They arrive at the city station, from where you can walk to the temple in 20 minutes or take a tuk-tuk for 100 rupees.

Attractions of Sri Lanka nearby:

• If you move away from the temple at 100 m, you can see the Museum of Buddhism. Here is a collection of samples of painting on the rocks. A ticket there costs 250 rupees.
• You can visit the Somavati Stupa for free. It is located at the foot of a small mountain on which the complex is located.
• It will be interesting for tourists to visit the Dambula market, which is located near the bus station.

Sinharaja unique park

In Sinharaja Park, you can see what the rainforests of Sri Lanka looked like. In a small area of ​​the park there are rare plants and animals. The last wild elephants of Sri Lanka, leopards, monkeys, three species of endemic deer, reptiles and many insects are still found here.

The tour to the park is a walking tour. The flora of the rainforest is very well represented here. Many plants are now found only in this park. It is not uncommon to meet a tree 50 meters high. There are beautiful waterfalls

Entrance to the park is paid and costs 500 rupees. If it was not possible to arrive early, then you can stay overnight in a special camp, which is available at each entrance, in order to go on an excursion in the morning. A four-hour guided tour will cost 1,600 rupees, an eight-hour tour will cost 3,200 rupees.

How to get there:

• From Colombo, you can get to Sinharaja Park by bus. The forest is located very close to the city of Galle.

The nearest attractions are located in the city of Unawatuna:

• Japanese pagoda, admission is free;
• Unawatuna Temple, admission is also free;
• Yatagala temple near Unawatuna;
• Turtle Farm, entrance - 400 rupees.

Adam's Peak

One of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka is Adam's Peak. This is a mountain with a height of 2243 m, to the top of which you can climb as part of an excursion.

At the top is a depression resembling the imprint of a giant foot. This is the "sacred footprint" of the Buddha. For followers of Hinduism, this is the footprint of the supreme deity Shiva. And Christians consider this imprint to be the trace of the Apostle Thomas. A temple was built over the trail.

To climb to the temple, you need to overcome more than 5 thousand steps. The length of the stairs is 8 km. Every 150 meters there are platforms on the stairs where you can relax, buy water and food.

Many begin their ascent at night to reach the summit by dawn. The stairs are well lit. It is always windy and cold at the top of the peak, and you need to take warm clothes with you.

The ascent lasts depending on 3 to 5 hours, and the descent takes no more than an hour and a half. Entrance to the stairs for lifting is free.

How to get there:

• You can get to Adam's Peak from Colombo by bus departing from the Pettah bus station, next to Hatton. You can also come here by train.

What to visit in Sri Lanka nearby:

• Badulla city and sights;
• Sinharaja rainforest;
• Elephant orphanage in Pinavella.

Ratnapura

At the foot of Adam's peak is the city of Ratnapura. From Colombo you can come here by bus or train. The length of the path is 100 km.

This is the center for the extraction of Sri Lankan gems. The largest sapphires in the world are found here. There are no modern high-rise buildings and entertainment facilities in the city. Strange huts are visible everywhere, which close the entrances to the places of extraction of gems.

Tourists who come here on a tour will see how they are mined. The most daring can go down inside, underground and inspect the structure of the mines.

The work of gem miners is very primitive. The rock is mined with a pickaxe and a shovel and then washed in a local river. Sediment from larger fractions is sorted manually. The tour will continue at the factory for the processing of mined jewelry.

What to see in Ratnapura:

• There is a state museum in Ratnapura, where there are collections of jewelry made from local precious stones, tools of the most primitive tribe of Sri Lanka - the Veddas, the remains of prehistoric animals.
• Near the city there is a very revered Maha Saman Deval temple.
• Local market, which is located right in the city center. For the sake of this market, many people visit Ratnapura. Here you can buy gemstones very cheaply.

Botanical Garden of Peradeniya

The Sri Lanka Botanical Garden is one of the best in the world.

The largest river in Sri Lanka, the Mahaweli, flows through the park. Here it forms a loop. The park was created on the site of the ancient royal gardens, which were laid out in the 13th century.

There are collections of heat-loving coniferous, ebonite trees, palms, bamboos, ficuses, ferns. The main asset of the park is a collection of decorative and specific orchids.

There are corners dedicated to the design of gardens and parks. This is a suspension bridge, a Japanese garden, a flower garden, alleys of various palm trees, a spice garden, and a private waterfall.

The garden has name trees planted by famous people from all over the world. Including there are trees planted by Nicholas II and Yuri Gagarin.

Entrance to the garden is paid. The entrance fee is 1500 rupees.

How to get there:

• From Colombo you can take a bus to Kandy. In Kandy, you need to take buses No. 644 and No. 652 and get to the stop, which is called “Botanicgarden”.

What sights can be seen nearby:

• Temple of the Tooth Relic;
• Sigiriya;
• Royal Palace of Kandy;
• Dambula.

Hikkaduwa

Sri Lanka has beautiful beaches with clear ocean water. Hikkaduwa is a resort located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, about 100 km from Colombo. If you go from Bandaranaike Airport, then a taxi will cost about 9 thousand rupees.

The beaches here are large with a wide strip of excellent clean sand. There are beaches open to all winds with a real ocean wave, and there are closed beaches where the excitement is not felt at all.

There is also a coral reef here. It was badly damaged by the 2004 tsunami waves. You can see sea turtles and a variety of fish swimming in shallow water.

Hikkaduwa Coral Garden is one of the most popular attractions in Sri Lanka.

What else to see in Hikkaduwa:

• National park;
• Mines of precious stones;
• Monument to the victims of the tsunami;
• Mask Museum 10 kilometers from Hikaduwa.

Attractions of Sri Lanka on the map

On the map below you will find the location of all the attractions of Sri Lanka in Russian.

To display only the points of interest on the map, click on the menu icon in the upper left corner and uncheck all categories except "points of interest".

/ Interesting facts about Sri Lanka

Interesting facts about Sri Lanka

The entire Jaffna peninsula, in contrast to the rest of Sri Lanka, is composed of calcareous soil and is relatively flat. Agriculture is practically impossible here.

The national flower of Sri Lanka is the Star Lotus.

9 and 12 are considered lucky numbers by the Sri Lankans. Multiplying 9 by 12 gives the number 108 - this is the number of beads in a Buddhist rosary. By adding one zero in place of tens, the number 108 increases to 1008. This number appears in various sacred texts to indicate an approximate plurality. If a book about Buddhism turns out to be 108 or 1008 pages, then this is considered a good sign.

For two decades, from 1983 to 2002, due to the civil war between the Sinhalese and Tamils, a state of emergency was in effect in the Jaffna district.

The westernmost of the islands, in front of the coast of Jaffna, bears the name of the Dutch city of Delft. On it, the Portuguese founded the first fort, which was supposed to serve as the defense of the entire island. From here it is less than 100 kilometers to the Indian mainland.

Sri Lanka means "Blessed Land" in Sanskrit. Ceylon is the former name of the country, until 1972.

The most important product of Sri Lanka is the coconut. Its juice is used in sauces for fish, vegetable and meat dishes, to soften the sharpness of spices. As the nut matures, the content of oil droplets in the liquid increases, and it turns into an emulsion similar to cow's milk. There is hardly a curry dish that Sri Lanka is so famous for that does not add a spoon or two of coconut milk - it serves as a thickener and improves the taste of the dish. You should drink only the juice of orange coconuts (they are called "royal", in the local language - "tambili"). Green coconuts are not always useful, although their juice, especially if pieces of already bound pulp float in it, is very tasty. Young coconut pulp, in the form of shavings, is added to many dishes, but it is especially good with sweet potatoes - sweet potatoes. A delicious oil is squeezed out of the kernel of mature nuts.

The national flag of Sri Lanka is considered one of the oldest in the world. The "Singhalese lion" depicted on the flag represents the progenitors of the modern inhabitants of Sri Lanka. The green and orange stripes represent Muslims and Hindus, respectively, who are a minority in Sri Lanka, while the red part of the flag represents the majority, Buddhists. After Sri Lanka became an independent state, 4 paipul leaves, a tree sacred to Buddhists, were added.

The people of Sri Lanka love elephants. The elephant is the symbol of the country. 6,000 elephants (!!!) allow Sri Lanka to occupy one of the first places in the world in terms of the number of these animals. An elephant in Sri Lanka has a price tag of $100,000. The punishment for killing an elephant is life imprisonment.

The village of Nagadipa, on the tiny island of Nainativu, is said to be where the Buddha landed on his second trip to Sri Lanka. It is one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the country.

More than 70 varieties of fruits grow in Sri Lanka. Some fruits are used as vegetables: mangoes are fermented, certain varieties of bananas are fried. Pieces of pineapples (ripe to a deep amber color and cut not into thin horizontal circles, but into large vertical slices) are sprinkled with salt and black pepper.

Kandy is considered a sacred city in Sri Lanka. This is due to the fact that here is the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which houses the upper left front tooth of Buddha Gautama - one of the most important Buddhist shrines. The tooth of the Buddha is stored in seven small stupas, encrusted with precious stones and nested in each other, in the manner of a nesting doll. These vessels, in turn, are placed in a chest, the decorated doors of which are opened only during prayer to the drumming. Believers, as sacrificial gifts, put flowers and fruits to it. Many pilgrims come to Kandy every year to take part in the Esala Perahera festival, that is, the procession in honor of the Tooth, in the height of summer. This procession is considered one of the most magnificent Buddhist celebrations in the world.

Instead of words of gratitude, they will simply smile at you. It is a smile that is considered the best manifestation of gratitude. It is not recommended for women in Sri Lanka to “abuse” smiles, because this is considered flirting.

When a daughter is married, she should be given a house and a car as a dowry. Therefore, as soon as a girl is born, parents begin to earn and save for a dowry.

An interesting spice of Sri Lanka is shamballa, or Greek fenugreek, a herbaceous plant of the legume family. Shambhala green leaves are one of the favorite spices, which are added to rich cakes and included in almost all Ceylon spice mixtures. In Russian cuisine, shamballa is practically not used, however, it is widespread in Armenia, called "chaman".

The name "Kandy" is an abbreviation for "kanda uda pas rata", which means "kingdom in the mountains".

To the equator from Sri Lanka, approximately 800 kilometers.

Sri Lankans are the official name for the people of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan burghers are an ethnic community in Sri Lanka, descendants from marriages of Europeans with Sri Lankans.

White is considered the color of mourning in the country. Red is the color of joy and celebration.

In Sri Lanka, some gestures that are familiar to us should not be used. An example is our “middle finger” gesture: in Sri Lanka, an analogue of our gesture is a palm turned upwards, clenched into a fist with a raised index finger.

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama died in 480 BC. His body was burned; parts of the skeleton, including four teeth that withstood the flames, survived amazing vicissitudes. As they say, one of the teeth was in China . The other is supposedly located in a crystal palace at the bottom of the sea. The third one belongs to the goddess Indra, and the fourth one ended up in Kandy and is kept with a blessing in the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

Along with its religious significance, the Temple of the Tooth Relic has been the scene of important events more than once. On March 2, 1815, the last Sinhalese king signed an act of surrender in the guest hall of the temple, according to which Ceylon passed into the possession of the British crown. In 1972, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was proclaimed in the same building and, thus, the former name Ceylon was abolished.

On the beach in the city of Tangalle, you can almost simultaneously watch the sunrise and sunset.

At one time, on an island in the middle of Kandy Lake, the royal harem was located. A now-filled underground passage led to the island.

Poya days are a Buddhist holiday that is celebrated every full moon. This is an official national holiday, on which official institutions, banks, most shops and markets do not work. Also, on these days the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

In Sri Lanka, when someone turns their head from side to side, it means yes.

Kandy is known for its many dance festivals. Walking on fire goes back to the legend that an Indian princess walked on hot coals to prove her integrity.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female prime minister in 1960.

Many scenes of the famous movie The Bridge on the River Kwai were filmed at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya.

Adam's Peak is the most sacred mountain in the country. Every year, pilgrims from all over the world make the ascent to receive blessings, cleanse themselves of sins and touch the sacred footprint of the Buddha on the top of the mountain.

The name "Colombo" is derived from the Sinhalese word "columba", which means port. The actual, but not official, capital of the country is the city of Colombo. The official capital is the city of Sri Jayawardenepuru Kotte.

The Suez Canal, built in 1869, contributed to the economic recovery of Colombo, which gave a new impetus to the development of trade relations between Europeans and the Middle and Far East. The capital of Ceylon, an important point on this route, has turned into a booming center of lively trade in the following decades.

The average life expectancy of Sri Lankans is 73 years for men and 77 years for women.

Due to the huge number of waterfalls, electricity in Sri Lanka is produced using hydroelectric power plants.

In the 1980s, bloody clashes broke out between Tamils ​​and Sinhalese. The Indian peacekeeping forces failed to end the conflict, and they themselves were drawn into it. Having suffered heavy losses, they left the island. Tamil rebels assassinate prime minister in retaliation for intervention in 1991 India - Rajiv Gandhi, and in the future, more than once resorted to terror tactics, killing in 1993 the President of Sri Lanka - Premadas, and then the main candidate for the post of head of the country, Dissanayake.

Alut Avurudu is the Sri Lankan New Year associated with the lunar cycles. It begins, according to the calculations of astrologers, and is celebrated in April. Nonagataya is a neutral period (temporal vacuum) between the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one, which can be several hours.

The birthplace of cinnamon is Sri Lanka. Once it was discovered here by the Egyptians.

The name of the old shopping district in Colombo is Pettah, derived from the Tamil word pettai,
which means "outside". This refers to the location of the area: outside the port.

The first European to visit Ceylon was the famous Marco Polo. In the memoirs "The Book of the Diversity of the World", the Venetian quite rightly described it as "the most beautiful island in the whole world." In addition to him, Ibn Battuta, Afanasy Nikitin and Thor Heyerdahl mentioned famous travelers about Sri Lanka.

From ancient times, Ceylon was famous for spices, ivory, tortoise shells, pearls, but, most importantly, why merchant ships were equipped there from all over, ecumenes are precious stones. Thus, another name for Sri Lanka was born - Ratnadeep ("island of gems").

Veddas (“hunters”, “forest people”) are a small ethnic group in the population of Sri Lanka. They are considered the original inhabitants of the island. Perhaps they lived here even before Sri Lanka separated from the Hindustan peninsula. The predominant habitat of this people is the eastern parts of the island, where the so-called Veddaratta (“country of the Vedds”) is located.

The difference between the maximum and minimum air temperature during the year on the island does not exceed 5ºC.

The extremist group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a short time has become the largest terrorist organization in the world. The "Tigers" fought with government troops, demanding sovereignty and the division of the island into 2 independent states. But, in 2009, the fighting ended with the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the leaders of the "tigers" were eliminated, and ordinary separatists laid down their arms.

12 national parks and 52 reserves occupy 14% of the total area of ​​Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankans really don’t like to show that they don’t know something - they’d rather be sent in the other direction than admit that they don’t know the way. The Sri Lankans are not very willing to bargain - neither in guesthouses, nor in the markets. They throw off quite a bit, very stubborn, but there are exceptions.

Sri Lanka occupies the 3rd place in the world in tea export, yielding the 1st and 2nd places to China and India.

126 bridesmaids accompanied the Sri Lankan wedding in the city of Negombo, which entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest wedding in the world!

The price for entrance to parks / palaces / waterfalls is ten times higher for tourists than for locals. Sometimes you can negotiate and buy one tourist ticket for two, or five tickets for locals.

Anton Chekhov, who stayed in Sri Lanka for a whole month, on the way from Sakhalin to St. Petersburg, called it paradise, and Colombo glorified it as the “garden of the East”, noting an amazing palette of temples, markets, mysterious streets, wide boulevards and fashionable hotels.

Anuradhapura is the most ancient, famous and mysterious city of Sri Lanka. Perhaps the uniqueness of his all-encompassing "self" lies in the name Anuradha - the "star of success" from the constellation Scorpio. The three great stupas (Jetavana, Ruvanveli and Mirisaveti) have the common name of the Celestial Mirror and are built in the form of a reflection of the stars of Orion's belt. Anuradhapura has the title of the primate city of Sri Lanka and the capital of all Buddhism. Surprisingly, this title has a material projection in the form of the sacred Jaya Shri Maha Bodhi tree, or simply the Bo tree - the oldest tree planted by man in the world! The ficus originates from the Boji tree, under which Prince Gautama attained enlightenment and above from under the crown is already a Buddha. Due to the fact that the authentic Indian Bo tree has long been cut down, its Sri Lankan descendant annually attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world to the island. Since its appearance on the island, the noble offspring has been surrounded by unprecedented attention and care. A Lankarma temple and several shrines with images of Shakyamuni and tart incense were built for him. Later, gilded props were placed under the powerful branches of the giant. This complex, enclosed by a two-meter wall, symbolizes the wisdom and spiritual experience of all Buddhism.

Sri Lankans do not use toilet paper, but it is sold for tourists and costs 2 times more than in India, and 4 times more expensive than in Russia.

Dagoba Tuparama is the very first and most sacred of all the stupas in Sri Lanka. Her holiness is in the collarbone of Gautama, walled up inside and like a powerful magnet, annually attracting thousands of pilgrims.

Although there have never been lions in Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese call themselves the lion people, the rainforest of Sinharanja is translated as “King Lion”, one of the most revered wonders of the blessed land is Sigiriya (“Lion Rock”) with the ruins of the royal halls on top, and the flag of Sri Lanka features a golden lion.

The Royal Botanical Garden Piradeniya with an orchid greenhouse in Sri Lanka is considered the largest in
South-East Asia. ANDthe highlight of the botanical garden is the memorial garden. All of its trees, and there are more than 40 of them, were planted by individuals who have made a significant contribution to the history of mankind. Here, among others, you can see an iron tree planted by Tsarevich Nikolai Romanov in 1891, and a saraka tree from the legume family planted by Yuri Gagarin in 1961. Aristocrats, military leaders, presidents and august persons from different countries of the world were noted for their landscaping work.

Palm wine Toddy is the national drink of the people of Sri Lanka.

Judging by written sources, once Sri Lanka was connected to the mainland by an isthmus, destroyed by an earthquake around 1481. Now it is a shoal with a chain of islands Adam's Bridge in the Polk Strait.

Sapphire, emerald or ruby ​​can be bought inexpensively with some knowledge and skill - Sri Lanka is a major exporter of precious stones.

The impetus for the beginning of the civil war in Sri Lanka (1983 - 2009) was the pogroms and burning of an important cultural property for Sri Lankan Tamils ​​- the Public Library in the city of Jaffna in 1981.

The government of Sri Lanka encourages the emigration of unskilled workers, considering it as a means to reduce unemployment and receive an influx of foreign exchange, in the form of transfers of migrants, to relatives who remained in their homeland. This amount is second only to income from tea exports. “Brain drain”, it would seem, also leads to foreign currency inflows into the country, however, it is not welcome, as it harms the country, reducing the number of qualified specialists.

Not far from Sigiriya is the Golden Temple of Dambulla - a cave Buddhist temple carved into the rock on top of a mountain. It houses the largest collection of Buddha statues in the world, some of them over 2,000 years old. 73 statues are covered with gold, which is why the temple got its name.

Trains in Sri Lanka run with open doors.

The rocky palace and fortress complex of Sigiriya is the most visited historical tourist site in Sri Lanka. Climbing the narrow stairs to the top of the Sigiriya rock takes visitors an average of 2 hours. The gate to the rocky palace was made in the shape of a lion's head for a reason. The militant Sinhalese lion, personifying the progenitor of the Ceylonese, is a long-standing symbol of Sri Lanka.

The reason why Kassapa had King Dhatusena walled up alive in the wall of Sigiriya was disappointment. Having led a rebellion against King Dhatusena, Kassapa was sure that unheard-of valuables were stored in the royal treasuries, but, in reality, there were not so many of them, and Kassapa, enraged, dealt with his deposed father in such a terrible way.

In the temple of Aluvihara, located at some distance from Sigiriya, in ancient times, the Pali canon, or Tipitaka, was written on palm leaves, a collection of Buddhist texts in the Pali language, and today remains the main source for the study of early Buddhism.

The sari is considered the main attire of the women of Sri Lanka.

There is a lot of mystery in the history and architecture of Sigiriya, and some researchers are sure that Sigiriya was never either a capital or a fortress, but was a carefully planned monastery of the Mahayana Buddhist sect.

When divorcing a resident of Sri Lanka, a man must pay her half of his own money throughout his life, therefore, there are less than 1% of divorces on the island.

It took 93.3 million fired clay bricks to build the Jetavanarma Stupa at Anuradhapura. At the same time, it can accommodate 10,000 Buddhist monks.

In the temple of Isurmuniya in Anuradhapura there is a footprint of the Buddha, into which, according to tradition, a coin is thrown and a wish is made. Here is one of the most famous bas-reliefs in the world: a girl on her lover's lap. Local legend says that the young man's name is Salia and he is the son of King Duthugamunu. His lover is Asokamala, a girl from the lower caste of the "untouchables", for whom Salia gave up the throne.

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