Mihintale: Where Buddhism Came to Sri Lanka
Mihintale is where, by tradition, the monk Mahinda met the king and introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Today it is a serene hill of ancient monastery ruins, dagobas and a grand stone stairway, a short drive from Anuradhapura.
The great stairway
A broad flight of stone steps, over a thousand in all, climbs the hill in stages beneath frangipani trees, passing shrines and monastic ruins on the way up.
At the summit
The Ambasthala Dagoba marks the meeting place of Mahinda and the king, and the nearby rock gives a wide view over the plains and tanks of Anuradhapura.
Good to know
It is a pilgrimage site, so dress modestly and remove shoes at the sacred areas. Early morning or late afternoon avoids the heat on the exposed steps.
Nearby
Anuradhapura’s ancient city, with its enormous dagobas and the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree, is about twenty minutes away.
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