Sinhalese Kingdoms (500 BC – 1505)
The documented history of Sri Lanka begins with the arrival of Prince Vijaya from North India in the 5th century BC — the founding myth of the Sinhalese nation. Vijaya and his companions are said to have landed in western Sri Lanka and founded the first Sinhalese kingdom.
Anuradhapura Period (377 BC – 1017)
The capital Anuradhapura was the center of Sinhalese civilization for over 1,300 years — one of the longest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Monumental dagobas (stupas) were built here, among the largest structures of the ancient world, along with an intricate irrigation system with thousands of reservoirs and a highly developed Buddhist culture.
In 247 BC, the monk Mahinda (son of the Indian Emperor Ashoka) brought Theravada Buddhism to the island — a turning point that shapes Sri Lanka to this day. His sister Sangamitta brought a sapling of the sacred Bodhi tree, which still stands in Anuradhapura today.
Polonnaruwa Period (1017–1235)
After the conquest of Anuradhapura by the South Indian Chola Dynasty, the capital moved to Polonnaruwa. King Parakramabahu I. (1153–1186) led the kingdom to new heights: He unified the island, built the vast reservoir Parakrama Samudra, and commissioned the Gal Vihara — those rock-carved Buddha statues that are masterpieces of world art.
Wandering Capitals & Kandy (1235–1505)
After the fall of Polonnaruwa, the capital shifted multiple times: Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Gampola, and finally Kandy, the last Sinhalese kingdom, which survived until 1815.
