Colombo Trip Overview
The ancient city of Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is Sri Lanka’s oldest city after Anuradhapura. Polonnaruwa has a special place in Sri Lanka’s history as Parakramabahu, the first king who reigned in the kingdom, was instrumental in ushering the ‘Golden Age of Polonnaruwa’. He was an intelligent and visionary King who constructed the famed ‘Parakrama Samudra’ – one of many irrigation systems that support the region’s cultivation’s to this day. In Polonnaruwa, you could behold the spectacular ruins depicting the life and times of its people; gigantic temple structures, megalith statues of Lord Buddha as well as intricately constructed stupas, tombs, and palaces. You can almost travel back in time and stand in the midst of the grandeur of a once thriving metropolis. Towards the north of the city is the Quadrangle (Dalada Maluwa), Polonnaruwa’s once sacred attraction which is rich with ancient artifacts and historical treasures.
Additional Info
Duration: 12 to 14 hours
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
The ancient city of Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is Sri Lanka’s oldest city after Anuradhapura. Polonnaruwa has a special place in Sri Lanka’s history as Parakramabahu, the first king who reigned in the kingdom, was instrumental in ushering the ‘Golden Age of Polonnaruwa’. He was an intelligent and visionary King who constructed the famed ‘Parakrama Samudra’ – one of many irrigation systems that support the region’s cultivation’s to this day. In Polonnaruwa, you could behold the spectacular ruins depicting the life and times of its people; gigantic temple structures, megalith statues of Lord Buddha as well as intricately constructed stupas, tombs, and palaces. You can almost travel back in time and stand in the midst of the grandeur of a once thriving metropolis. Towards the north of the city is the Quadrangle (Dalada Maluwa), Polonnaruwa’s once sacred attraction which is rich with ancient artifacts and historical treasures.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Polonnaruwa Vatadage, Sacred City, Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka
The Polonnaruwa Vatadage is an ancient structure dating back to the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa of Sri Lanka. It is believed to have been built during the reign of Parakramabahu I to hold the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha or during the reign of Nissanka Malla of Polonnaruwa to hold the alms bowl used by the Buddha. Both these venerated relics would have given the structure a great significance and importance at the time. Located within the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, it is the best preserved example of a vatadage in the country, and has been described as the “ultimate development” of this type of architecture.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Gal Vihara, 440/225 Palm Grove State Minuwangoda road, Polonnaruwa 51000 Sri Lanka
The Gal Vihara is a unique vestige that further confirms the intricacies of the craftsman that dwelled in the ancient kingdom. Literally translated as ‘Rock Temple’, the temple is still a major place of worship to many Buddhists in the country. There are three statues that are of great interest, as it depicts the Lord Buddha in three unique positions. The seated statue shows the Buddha depicting the Dhyana mudra, while the reclining statue depicts the Parinirvana position, and is one of the most intricately sculpted statues, as the depression of the pillow, along with the lotus symbol on the side is still very visible even to this day. The standing image, on the other hand, is believed to be the Lord Buddha depicting an unusual gesture, which has led many archaeologists to believe that it is not the depiction of the Buddha, but his disciple Ananda.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Rankoth Vehera, Ancient Bhikku Hospital, Polonnaruwa 51000 Sri Lanka
This magnificent stupa is situated in Polonnaruwa and is the 4th largest stupa in Sri Lanka. Built by the Nissanka Malla(1187-1196) it is one of the most sought after tourist attractions, i.e. ‘dagobas’ of the country. Rich in vibrant history and scenic beauty, this place must be on your to-visit list if you come to Sri Lanka.The stupa of Rankoth Vehera is in the center of a large square terrace. There are four entrances to the yard with four cardinal points. Located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka, Rankoth Vehera’s design was inspired by the traditional stupas in Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya and bears a close resemblance to Ruwanwelisaya.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Vejayanta Pasada, Maradankadawala-Habarana-Thirukkondaiadimadu Hwy, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
Constructed under the reign of King Mahaparakram Bahu between the years 1153 to 1186, the striking Royal Palace stands as the emblem of grandeur in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. The Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu is a place of great historical importance, the reason why it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1982. Historical books claim that the palace constructed in the 10th century once held seven stories along with 1000 chambers, but the ruins now have only 55 halls and three floors which implies that the top four floors may have been constructed with wood.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kiri Vehera, Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka
Kiri Vihera is a dagoba or stupa in Kataragama region in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka. This an 80 feet tall, whitewashed, peaceful stupa is the second largest stupa in the town. Kiri Vihara was constructed in the 11th century AD, by King Parakramabahu’s queen, Queen Subhadra. Its original name was Rupavathi Chaitya. Later the name was changed to Kiri Vihara, which means ‘white stupa’, which is because of its lime washed coating. The stupa is within the Alahana complex, which is a well-known training center for monks and also encompasses a hospital with the latest surgical instruments.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Samudra Parakrama, Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka
Parakrama Samudra is a water reservoir which consists of five different lakes namely Thopa, Dumbutulu, Erabadu, Boo, Katu tanks. It is also known as King Parakrama’s Sea and is in Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. Topa Wewa is the oldest reservoir here which was built around 386 AD. The middle section has Eramudu Wewa and below you have Dubutula Wewa. The lakes here are separated by a smaller dam to reduce the pressure.
Duration: 1 hour
