Sri Lanka’s most ancient kingdom is that of Anuradhapura, however, with its destruction, the privilege was passed on to Polonnaruwa. Serving as a capital under both the Chola as well as Sinhalese Kingdoms, at the height of its reign Polonnaruwa was a self-sufficient and highly advanced city.
Where is it?
The city of Polonnaruwa lies in the district of the same name in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It’s approximately 5 hours away from Colombo. There are many stunning coastal sites to discover in the vicinity the likes of Pasikuda. Things to do in this area are plenty. In order to reach each one of these cannot-be-missed destinations ensure to base yourself in a centrally located place such as Uga Bay.
Parakrama Samudraya
Built by and named after King Parakramabahu, this is the biggest ancient man-made rainwater reservoir in Sri Lanka. It’s said that he built the reservoir with this in mind as even today the mighty Parakrama Samudraya contains about 134 million cubic meters of water that act as the lifeline to the agriculture of Polonnaruwa and the surrounding areas as well.
Palace of King Parakramabahu
Here lie the remnants of a seven storey high palace that would have been, perhaps, the most extravagant of sites in all of Polonnaruwa. Unfortunately, due to the combined damage by foreign invaders, weather and time, only the ruins remain today.
Gal Viharaya
Translated in Sinhalese as the Rock Temple, this is a magnificent Buddhist temple in Polonnaruwa. The Gal Viharaya is aptly named as within it you will discover a range of enormous Buddha statues carved entirely out of a granite rock. There is the colossal reclining Buddha which is 46 feet long.
Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life. Google+
