Polonnaruwa
Overview
The city was built around Parakrama Samudra (a massive lake) and was the seat of power between the 11th and 13th centuries. The existing ruins and archaeological evidence tell us that Buddhist and Hindu influences prevailed here during this time and earlier.
The ruins here are perhaps the most accessible and better preserved of the ancient ruins on the island, as many are still intact, and the architectural and detailed sculptural skills employed are very visible. The numerous ruins are grouped in clusters outside the new town and enable the visitors to easily visualise life in the ancient city.
What is left of the royal buildings and palaces, together with the Buddhist shrines, Hindu Temples (Kovils), and images of meditating Buddha with a high level of detail carved into the rock face, highlight the master craftsmanship of that time?
Make sure you try and visit at least the following three sites:
- Gal Vihara – a series of 12th-century stone sculptures of Buddha. There are four separate statues, and the standing Buddha is considered the best of the four, with its unusual, crossed arms and solemn face. The well-preserved remains of the Royal Palace complex, the Audience Hall, and the stone-carved elephants and lions guarding the entrance within the walls of the central Citadel.
- To the north is Alahana Pirivena, home to the remarkable Lankatilaka Temple, whose walls soar 56 ft tall and 14 ft wide, where you will also find a 60 ft high statue of Buddha – although time and disrepair have rendered it headless.
The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa a UNESCO World Heritage Site
There is excellent accommodation available in a small village called Habarana just an hour’s drive from here.
