Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The centrepiece of the town and its surrounds is the lovely Tissa Wewa (Tissa Tank), a
huge man-made lake about 1.5km from the town centre. In the evening, check out the huge
flocks of egrets that descend onto the trees around the lake to roost. The road along the
southern edge has a wide new
Lakeside Walkway
for strolling.
Yatala Wehera
BUDDHIST
Lotus ponds surround this site, which has a wealth of elephant details in the carvings.
the dusty artefacts dug up from around the site, look for an ornate, ancient bidet sitting
outside. Note the carved footpads. It's an easy walk from town.
It was built 2300 years ago by King Mahanaaga in thanks both for the birth of his son,
Yatala Tissa, and for his safe escape from an assassination attempt in Anuradhapura.
Tissa Dagoba
BUDDHIST
This large much-restored dagoba looming between Tissa town centre and the
wewa
is be-
lieved to have been originally built around 200 BC by Kavantissa, a king of Ruhunu,
which was centred on Tissamaharama. The white dagoba has a circumference of 165m and
stands 55.8m high. It is thought to have held a sacred tooth relic and forehead bone relic.
It's attractively lit up at night.
Next to the dagoba is a statue of Queen Viharamahadevi. According to legend, Vihara-
mahadevi was sent to sea by her father, King Devanampiya Tissa, as penance after he
killed a monk. Unharmed, the daughter landed at Kirinda, about 10km south of Tissa, and
subsequently married Kavantissa. Their son, Dutugemunu, was the Sinhalese hero who
liberated Anuradhapura from Indian invaders in the 2nd century BC.
and the remains of a monastery complex thought to date back around 2000 years.
