10 Must-See Things in The Ancient City Polonnaruwa

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                  Throughout our trip around Sri Lanka, the Ancient Cities situated in the inland had been in the back of our mind – To go or not to go? We had postponed the decision all the way, but at the time we were in Kandy city the decision had to be made! We decided to go, and then the followup-question was: Go to which ancient city – Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa? We asked our fellow travellers at the hotel we stayed at in Kandy. Most of them recommended Polonnaruwa, the reason being that even though it is smaller in scale, the ruins and temples are within a much more compact area, and they are in better condition. So with that decision taken, we headed north east to Polonnaruwa!

After a 5 hour car ride (including the walk up Lion Rock Sigiriya) from Kandy, we finally reached Polonnaruwa. We arrived in the evening, so it was dark and we came through a road that did not go nearby the ruins of the Ancient City. We drove through thick jungle, with not many lights from houses or shops, so it felt like being in the middle of nowhere! Had we made the right decision of choosing Polonnaruwa over Anuradhapura? We had not pre-booked any accommodation, so we had to drive around until we found a nice hotel – Seyara Holiday Resort. The owner made us feel really welcome and we felt like home straight away!

The next morning, after a lovely breakfast at the hotel, we took at tuk-tuk into town where we rented bicycles and headed out on the dusty roads through the Ancient City Polonnaruwa.

The history of Polonnaruwa

            Polonnaruwa was the thriving commercial and religious centre of Sri Lanka some 800 years ago. It consists of a lot of temples and religious buildings. For three centuries it was the royal capital, of both the Chola and Sinhalese kingdoms. In Polonnaruwa it all started in the late 10th century, when the South Indian Chola dynasty had conquered Sri Lanka. The Cholas chose Polonnaruwa as their new capital, and moved the capital from Anuradhapura. Their reasons were apparently that is was a strategically better place to be protected from attacks from the Ruhunu Sinhalese kingdom in the southeast, and that it had LESS mosquitos!!! LOL, it didn`t feel like there was a lack of  mosquitos here, especially in the evenings they came out in swarms……

In 1070 though, the Chola dynasty was overtaken by the Sinhalese kingdom (King Vijayabahu I), which kept Polonnaruwa as his capital. And it was during this Sinhalese period that Polonnaruwa really reached its high glory. The second king (King Parakramabahu I, 1153-86) built huge buildings, beautiful parks and a huge lake/ tank of water (25 square km). The third king (King Nisanka Malla, 1187 – 96) tried to match his predecessors`achievements, and ended up bankrupting the kingdom in his attempts!

In the early 13th century the cities glory was fading, it was abandoned, and the capital moved to the western side of the island where Colombo is today. That was the sad end of the era of beautiful Polonnaruwa as a capital.

Top 10 must-sees in the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

Before we went into the ruins of the Ancient City, we visited the Archaelogical Museum (next to the ticket office). The museum was a good way to see what we had in front of us, but it was not a highlight. It was designed for walking through,with a series of rooms each dedicated to a specific theme. They also had scale models of the buildings and temples of the city, showing how they might have looked like in their glory days with the wooden roofs still intact. But if you are in a hurry, and don`t have that much time in Polonnaruwa, then I would recommend to skip the museum. It is much nicer to see the ruins and temples in real life than on pictures and models at the museum! Here are our top sights of the Ancient City Polonnaruwa:

1. Royal Palace

The first group of ruins you meet after entering the ground of the Ancient City, is the Royal Palace Group. This group of buildings dates from the period of King Parakramabahu I (1153 – 1186). The King`s Royal Palace is a huge structure, measuring 31 m by 13 m, once including 50 rooms supported by 30 columns. Even today it is quite an impressive building, but picture it being seven floors tall with 3 m thick walls, as the archeologists claim it once was!

Today only some of the walls are left, with holes to hold floor beams for two higher floors. If the building really had four more levels above these stone walls, they must have been made of wood says the archeologists. Some crazy king building such a big palace in those days without machines!
 

2. Audience Hall

The king`s Audience Hall is one of the best preserved structures in the Royal Palace Group, with beautiful stone carved elephants on the walls.

Each elephant is in a different position and looks different from the other.

It was incredible hot this day, especially around noon, so I had to buy me a lovely hat. Don`t I look fashionable?

The stairs to the Audience Hall was pretty impressive, with beautiful lions on the top of each side.
 

3. Swimming Pool

In one corner of the palace grounds is the king´s swimming pool, with crocodile-mouth spouts which used to lead fresh water into the pool. Today the water is not that tempting to go swimming in, alien-green as it is!

4. Sacred Quadrangle

The Sacred Quadrangle is a compact group of beautiful and impressive ruins within a raised up platform bounded by a wall. This is the most concentrated collection of buildings in the whole Ancient City, and I would say a must on every visitors list!

In the middle of the Quadrangle is The Vatadage, a circular relic house typical for its kind. The outermost terrace is impressive 18 m in diameter, and has four entrances all flanked by very nice guard stones in beautiful condition.

The Vatadage, 18 m in diameter.

The four entrances all lead to a central dagoba with four Buddhas.

The central dagoba inside the Vatadage, with four Buddhas.

5. Shiva Devale No. 2

This is the oldest building in Polonnaruwa, and dates back to the brief South Indian Chola dynasty period (around 1070), when the Indian invaders established the city. This is one of few Hindu temples on the grounds. It is basically in the same condition as when it was built, due to the fact that it is among the few buildings built entirely of stone.

Shiva Devale No.2, one of few Hindu Temples in Polonnaruwa.

6. Pabalu Vehera

Pabalu Vehera is another typical dagoba, dating back to King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186). This is the third largest dagoba in Polonnaruwa, and in great condition.

Pabalu Vehera, the third largest dagoba in Polonnaruwa.

The daboga Pabalu Vehera is in perfect condition.

7. Rankot Vihara

Rankot Vihara is a huge dagoba in great condition, of impressive 54 meter tall! It is the largest dagoba in Polonnaruwa, the fourth larges in Sri Lanka, and dates back to King Nissanka Malla (1187 – 1196). In between the ruins and temples, we also found traces of the jungle trying to take over the ancient city. Wandering around the impressive structures in such good condition, it is amazing to think about what hard work the archeologists must have had first entering the Ancient City when it was all covered with trees like this one.

Espen in front of the dagoba Rankot Vihara. It is 54 m tall! The biggest dagoba in Polonnaruwa, and the fourth biggest in Sri Lanka.

Polonnaruwa is close to elephant packed national parks. Of course the elephants don`t understand where the national parks ends, and sometimes they walk into areas they are not supposed to be in (like the Ancient City or farmers grounds). All around the jungle there are huts up in trees, for spotting elephants who are lost from the National Parks.

Three hut that is used for spotting elephants.

8. Dagoba Kiri Vihara

The beautiful dagoba Kiri Vihara (meaning “milk white”) was built in honour of the King`s queen. When the archeologists came to the area, and cleared it from the overgrown jungle, the original lime plaster was found in perfect white condition after 700 years! This is the best-preserved unrestored dagoba in Polonnaruwa.

Dagoba Kiri Vihara, built in honor of the king`s queen.

9. Buddha statue at Lankatilaka

The huge Lankatilaka is impressive with its 17 m high walls! Although the roof is gone, it still has a cathedral-like feeling about it, and the aisle lead to a huge standing headless Buddha.

The big Buddha Lankatilaka. The walls are impressive 17 m high!

10. Buddha figures at Gal Vihara

Gal Vihara is a group of four beautiful Buddhas in perfect condition, cut from one long slab of granite.
 

Sitting Buddha at Gal Vihara.

The standing buddha is 7 m tall, and is said to be the finest of the series, with apparently an unusual position of the arms and sorrowful facial expression.

The standing Buddha at Gal Vihara is 7 m tall!

The sleeping buddha is 14 m long, picturing Buddha entering nirvana.

The sleeping Buddha at Gal Vihara is 14 m long!

We really enjoyed our day at the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa! What a lovely and peaceful place, and it was so fun to go around the ruins on bicycles! It is of course also possible to travel around the ruins and temples by tuk-tuk or car.

With this picture, us cycling towards the magnificent Shiva Dalave No. 2 Hindu temple in the sunset, we say hasta lavista from Polonnaruwa!

PS! This picture was by the way REALLY difficult to take! While we were struggling cycling back and forth a dozen of times, with our camera on the grown using the self timer, two military guys were so kind to help us out (so they are the actually photographers of this photo). Thank you so much!

Two military guards that helped us taking pictures.

Here is a map over the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa:

          Would you like to visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa? Do you think bicycling is the best way to see it, or do you prefer tuk-tuk or a taxi? Please mail your comment in the my mail box below, ( basuratravels@gmail.com ) I can help you it. Thank you! If you like this blog post, or find it useful, please share it on social media!

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