Anuradhapura has three great tanks. Nuwara Wewa , on the east side of the city, is the largest, covering about 12 sq km. It was built around 20 BC and is well away from most of the old city. The 160-hectare Tissa Wewa is the southern tank in the old city. The oldest tank, probably dating from around the 4th century BC, is the 120-hectare Basawakkulama (the Tamil word for tank is kulam) to the north. Off to the northwest of the Basawakkulama are the ruins of the western monasteries , where the monks dressed in scraps of clothing taken from corpses and, it’s claimed, lived only on rice. All are good for quiet bike rides and walks.
