Mihintale - The birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. 

Historically recorded as the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Mihintale is believed to be the meeting place of the Buddhist monk Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka of India, and King Devanampiyatissa in the 3rd century BC.

This meeting was the beginning of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, which quickly became a core part of Sinhalese culture.

that is evident in all the island’s ancient cultural sites, such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla Cave Temple.

The Sinhalese architecture, paintings and sculpture were a result of the Buddhism, which nourished these throughout the centuries that followed.

Arhath Mahinda and his companions came to Sri Lanka as a delegation sent by Arahath Moggali Putta Tissa with the patronage of Emperor Asoka on the 236 th year of the Buddha parinirvana.

Prior to that the Lord Gautama Buddha had visited this place on his Third visit which was called as Missaka Pabbatha then. Being one of the sixteen places (Solosmasthana) the Lord Buddha had visited in Sri Lanka, this is regarded as one of the most important sacred places by the Buddhists in Sri Lanka.

The area of Mihintale surrounds with a jungle and there are rock boulders scattered around the mountainous area.   

The great stairway that leads up the Mihintale Mountain consists of no less than 1840 rock cut steps. While some of the neat steps are carved into the natural rock, the rest are paved with cut granite.

Kantaka Chetiya is one of the earliest Dagebas built in Sri Lanka and dates back to 2nd Century BC. Though the upper portion of the Dageba is now not there, it still has a height of 40 feet. It has a circumference of 425 feet and has four Vahalkadas. These Vahalkada designs are recognized as of earliest Sinhala sculpture techniques.

The beautiful inscription on polished slabs of granite made by King Mahinda the fourth (956-972 A.D.), one of the longest ancient inscriptions of Sri Lanka shed a great deal of information on the monastery at Mihintale.

The sixty eight caves, the earliest dwellings of the monks at Mihintale are located around the Kantaka Cetiya. 

Mihintale Kaludiya Pokuna is a monastic complex surrounding a water pond of 200 feet in length and 70 feet in width. This is an artificial pond where the water is collected from the surroundings during the rainy season. The name Kalu Diya Pokuna or the Black Water Pond is said to be derived from the fact that the darkish colour of the reflections of the rock boulders and the surrounding trees appearing in the water.It is thought that the monks had mainly used this complex for meditation purposes. There is an inscription engraved which has Brahmi scripts belonging to B.C era.

The first hospital at Mihintale was founded by King Sena the second (853-887 AC) at Mihintale. The identification was based on a tenth century inscription found at the site.

Arhat Mahinda lived for 80 years until parinirvana at Mihintale which was earlier called as the Chetiya Pabbatha.