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SITE
The ancient lakeside city of Polonnaruwa, located 134 miles
south east of Anaradhapura, exemplifies the glory of mediaeval Sri Lanka.
It is renowned for its masterful Buddhist sculpture, and as the
site of the magnificent garden-city ruins, constructed in the 12th century
AD by Parakramabahu I. The city became the primary country residence of
the Sri Lankan Kings between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. After its
establishment as the capital city of the island, Polonnaruwa excelled
in agricultural development. Following the death of King Maha Parakramabahu
in 1186 AD, the Sinhalese Kingdom was plagued by civil war, leading
to the eventual decline of Polonnaruwa in the 13th century AD.
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ARCHITECTURE
Encircled by three-foot thick fortifications, the impressive 12th
century Royal Citadel housed the palace and the administrative
buildings of King Prakramabahu. It was once 7 stories high and contained
a thousand chambers.
In front of the palace is the exquisitely carved Council Chamber. A flight of stairs leads to the beautiful stone Royal Bath with adjacent pavilion. The magnificent 12th century Gal Vihara Temple consists of a group of spectacular stone Buddhas that were originally enclosed within brick walls.
To the south west of the ancient city, covering an area of more than 8 square miles is the Parakrama Samudra, the largest man made reservoir in the region. The holding tank measures 8 miles in length by 40 feet in height.