Polonnaruwa

Second only to Anuradhapura in the ancient history of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa served as the island’s capital from the 11th to 13th centuries, a relatively brief but glorious epoch that witnessed a flowering of Buddhist arts and architecture.

Places to visit in Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa Museum

Most of the ruins of Polonnaruwa are protected within a specially fenced-off archaeological site north of the modern town. Tickets to the site have to be bought from the excellent Polonnaruwa Museum, well worth a visit for its insightful displays on life in the ancient capital, and some fine exhibits including a number of superb Chola bronzes recovered from the site.

The Quadrangle

At the heart of the ancient city, the Dalada Maluwa (Terrace of the Tooth Relic), popularly known as the Quadrangle, was the centrepiece and sacred precinct of ancient Polonnaruwa, home to the Tooth Relic and its most important cluster of religious shrines. The Quadrangle is dominated by the flamboyant Vatadage, a superbly decorated circular shrine and perhaps the most ornate building in Sri Lanka: its outer walls are carved with friezes of lions, dwarfs and lotuses, and, at each of the four entrances, with elaborate moonstones and guardstones (depicting nagaraja – king cobra figures with seven-hooded heads).

The Lankatilaka

The impressive walls of the Lankatilaka image house soar to a height of 16 metres (55ft), enclosing a large but headless statue of the Buddha who stands squashed inside the high, narrow space within. A section of the walls outside is adorned with finely carved reliefs of flamboyant multi-storey houses topped with domes – not a portrait of ancient Polonnaruwa as is sometimes claimed, but a fanciful representation of the celestial abodes (vimanas) of the gods.

Gal Vihara

The pinnacle of rock-carved art in ancient Sri Lanka, the Gal Vihara is home to four magnificent Buddha statues hewn out of a granite cliff-face by unknown artists. The highlight is the majestic 14-metre (46ft) reclining Buddha – a figure of such enormous but serene beauty that it inspired centuries of Sinhalese art without ever being matched. The sculptor was working in a medium that to some extent dictated his output. Dark strata in the rock appear as a veil of ripples washing over the delicately carved facial features and figure of the Buddha as he slips into nirvana, lending a beautifully fluid texture to the mass of stone.

Elephant Corridor

Wildlife enthusiasts in particular will enjoy the ‘Elephant Corridor’ connecting the two parks together, where you can witness a breathtaking array of fauna in their habitat. The Elephant Gathering in Minneriya is a popular event you can join. We are specialised in safaris and even co-worked with one of the best cinemotographer of Sri Lanka Dilum Alagiyawanna for the documentaire "The gathering at Minneriya National Park". See the tab safaris for more information.

Polonnaruwa tour

Time to visit – Best time to visit is in the morning as the sun will be quite strong in the afternoon, but every time and location for pick up can be arranged
Tour duration – 4 - 5 hours depending on the guest
Tour can be done by car, tuktuk or bycicles

What to bring / wear – Comfortable, cool clothes which are suitable for a temple visit such as long trousers and short-sleeved top, a sunhat, gym shoes or slippers and your camera.