Mihintale Rock

About

The Mihintale Rock is a sacred cultural and historical site in Sri Lanka, especially for Buddhists. Around 306-307 BC King Devanampiyatissa met the Buddhist monk Mahinda on the rock, which marked the beginning of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The event is commemorated each year on the Poson Poya Day (celebrated on the full moon in June) where pilgrims climb the 1,840 rock-carved steps to the summit. When visiting this site you too can take the hike to the summit, where you will be met with stunning views of the surrounding forested area, rich with biodiversity including mango trees and monkeys! You can also discover many other cultural and historical sites here, including the ruins of an ancient hospital where a stone bath which treated people using herbal infused waters is on display, as well as a giant seated Buddha statue, and the ruins of a refectory where you can find massive food troughs used to feed the monks - one around 23 feet (7 meters) in length! The site is open 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily. Entrance tickets are not included in our price and must be purchased separately at the site.