Known as the Park of the Goldfish, these extensive 2000-year-old royal pleasure gardens cover 14 hectares and contain two ponds skilfully designed to fit around the huge boulders in the park. Look out for the fine elephant carvings.
Carved onto the back side of a rock face in the southwest corner of the park is an intriguing geometric mandala design of circles and crosses that some have suggested is one of the earliest ever depictions of a world map.
It was here that Prince Saliya, the son of Dutugemunu, was said to have met the low-caste Asokamala, whom he married, thereby forsaking his right to the throne, a story captured in the 'lover's' sculpture in nearby Isurumuniya Vihara.