Atamasthana (Sinhala: අටමස්ථාන) or Eight sacred places are a series of locations in Sri Lanka the Buddha visited during the three trips that many Buddhists believe he made to the country. The sacred places are known as Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya, Ruwanwelisaya, Thuparamaya, Lovamahapaya, Abhayagiri Dagaba, Jetavanarama, Mirisaveti Stupa and Lankarama. They are situated in Anuradhapura, the capital of the ancient Anuradhapura Kingdom.

Anuradhapura, regarded a sacred city, exerted considerable influence on the development of architecture in the country for several centuries. The city was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, it lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in the island's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malvathu Oya.

According to the Mahavamsa, the city was founded around 350 BC by Pandukabhaya, the first king of the Anuradhapura kingdom and sixth since the legendary arrival of Vijaya. It eventually became the principal shrine of Buddhism including the location of a sacred fig tree, planted from a branch of the Bodhi tree from Bodhgaya, under which the Buddha is believed to have achieved enlightenment. The tree was brought there in the 3rd century BC during the second mission, led by Sangamitta, a Buddhist nun and daughter of Emperor Ashoka according to Sri Lankan tradition. The relics of Buddha have, moreover, shaped the religious topography of Anuradhapura, where the Thuparamaya was built by Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BC to house the clavicle of Buddha, an important religious relic presented by Ashoka.

The city's apogee was reached under the reign of Dutugamanu, who, in 161 BC, defeated the South Indian invader Ellalan, re-establishing Buddhism on the island. He built several monuments in the city including the Mirisaveti Stupa, Ruwanwelisaya, and the Brazen Palace. The city flourished for 1,300 years, and then was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Later hidden away in dense jungle for many years, the site, with its palaces, monasteries, and monuments, is now accessible once again.

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a Sacred Fig tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is said to be a sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which Buddha became enlightened. It was planted in 288 BC and is said to be the southern branch of the Sri Maha Bodhi Bodhgaya India, also the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date. The sacred tree brought by the Ven. Sangamitta, the sister of Ven. Arahath Mahinda who introduced Buddha's teachings to Sri Lanka.

The area around the Sri Maha Bodhi, the Brazen Palace and Ruvanvelisaya dageba was once probably part of the Maha Vihara (Great Temple). The sacred bodhi tree is the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world, for it has been tended by an uninterrupted succession of guardians for over 2000 years, even during the periods of Indian occupation.

The Uda Maluwa, 35 feet by 55 feet, is 35 feet above the ground. The wall was constructed during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasingha, to protect it from wild elephants. The late Ven. Pallegama Rewatha Thera had planted the Pariwara Bo trees (accompanying Bo trees) to camouflage the Bodhi to pd to safeguard it from natural disasters such as strong winds and rains.

All Sri Lankan Heads of State usually have sought the blessings of the Sri Maha Bodhi before commencing any important work.