“Its most famous carving, the 'Lovers', is said by legend to show a prince who gave up his throne for the love of a low-caste woman.”
About Isurumuniya
Isurumuniya is traditionally associated with King Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BC and served as a monastery linked to the arrival of Buddhism on the island. Its rock-cut shrines and pools are ancient, and over the centuries it accumulated its renowned sculptures. The Lovers carving and the other reliefs are among the most admired works of the Anuradhapura period.
Isurumuniya is an ancient rock temple in Anuradhapura, carved partly into and beside a great boulder, with a small lotus pond at its foot. Dating back over two thousand years, it is celebrated above all for a series of exquisite stone carvings, including one of the most famous and romantic sculptures in all of Sri Lankan art.
Isurumuniya is an ancient rock temple in Anuradhapura, carved partly into and beside a great boulder, with a small lotus pond at its foot.
The Isurumuniya Lovers
The temple's signature treasure is a carved stone panel known as the Isurumuniya Lovers, showing a man and a woman in an intimate, tender pose. The identity of the couple is debated, with one popular tradition linking them to a prince who gave up his claim to the throne for the love of a low-caste maiden. Other fine carvings here include a panel of elephants at play in water and a seated royal figure, all masterpieces of ancient Sinhalese sculpture.
The Experience
Further in, a compact, atmospheric temple where shrines are built against and into the living rock, with a lotus pond and steps climbing the boulder for views over the sacred city. The famous carvings are displayed in a small on-site museum and around the temple. Climbing to the top of the rock at sunset, over the ancient stupas, is a quiet highlight.
Why It Matters
Isurumuniya is a jewel of ancient Sri Lankan art and an important early Buddhist site in Anuradhapura. Its sculptures, above all the tender Lovers panel, show a refinement and humanity that make them milestones of the island's artistic heritage, drawing art lovers as well as pilgrims.
Isurumuniya is a jewel of ancient Sri Lankan art and an important early Buddhist site in Anuradhapura.
Why Visit
An atmospheric ancient rock temple in Anuradhapura, home to the celebrated Isurumuniya Lovers carving and other masterpieces of early Sinhalese sculpture.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Seek out the famous Lovers carving and the other stone reliefs.
- 2
Climb the rock at sunset for views over the sacred city.
- 3
Dress modestly; it is an active temple.
- 4
It is one of the many sites within ancient Anuradhapura.
