Polonnaruwa is an ancient city in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was the capital of Sri Lanka and had advanced irrigation systems. The modern city is relatively pollution-free and a popular tourist destination. Visitors can explore the ruins by bike and see attractions like the Gal Vihara and the Quadrangle.
Polonnaruwa is an ancient city in Sri Lanka. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has been since 1982. The site was the capital of Sri Lanka for many years and features some amazing statues and ruins from this period.
Polonnaruwa was the capital of the second major kingdom to rule over the entire island of Lanka. It was ruled by King Vijayabahu I, who repelled the Chola invaders in the late 11th century and claimed the entire island as a single sovereign kingdom.
Polonnaruwa continued to be the capital for more than a century and during this time it flourished as the commercial center of the island. Agriculture also flourished during the rule of Parakramabahu I in Polonnaruwa, who issued a famous decree that not a single drop of water falling from the sky should be wasted in the city, and that everything should go towards land development and the expansion of the agricultural base for his people.
As a result of this decree and the obsession with water conservation and use, Polonnaruwa’s irrigation systems were among the most advanced in the world. The highlight of these irrigation systems is the immense Parakrama Sea, which is a reservoir of such immensity that it actually appears to be a sea. Standing on one bank of the reservoir and looking across, the other side cannot be seen, and as well as serving as a tremendous source of water for agriculture, it also served as a substantial defensive construction against invaders.
After Parakramabahu’s rule, Polonnaruwa began to decline, as its rulers became more devoted to court intrigues and moved away from strengthening the kingdom. They began making alliances with the south Indian kingdoms and eventually one of those rulers, King Magha, invaded in the early 13th century. Arya Chakrawarthi’s subsequent invasion, in 13, marked the downfall of a Sri Lankan ruler, and the capital was moved from Polonnaruwa to Dambadeniya.
The modern city of Polonnaruwa, unlike the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, is a small, well-appointed city of about 300,000 people. It is known for being relatively pollution-free and quite green. A solid tourist infrastructure and, of course, the proximity to the ruins of Polonnaruwa, have made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka.
Exploring the old city is best done by bike, and a number of shops have bikes available for hire. The city is quite immense and therefore can offer days of sightseeing for the dedicated adventurer. Like Angkor in Cambodia, there are many distinct sites within the larger Polonnaruwa site, some of which are truly incredible attractions.
Of particular interest to most visitors are the Gal Vihara and the Quadrangle. The Gal Vihara is a collection of Buddha images, carved into the rock faces. The most iconic of these is the immense reclining Buddha. The Quadrangle contains more than ten distinct structures, in excellent condition and offering a good example of Buddhist construction of the era. Other sites include the immense dome of Rankot Vihara Dagoba, the Council Chamber of King Parakramabahu and the Thuparama Image House.
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