Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka

Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka comes in second among the most ancient kingdoms of the country. This ancient city is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and boasts of beautiful temple ruins dating as far back as the 10th century.

Location

Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka is located in within the North Central Province of the country, some two hundred and sixteen kilometers off Colombo.

Getting There

You can reach Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka via a private vehicle or public transportation. If a car rental service is not an option, you can still travel to the city via a private taxi.

You can get a taxi from the nearby cities such as Kaduruwela, Kandy or even Colombo.

For public transportation, several bus routes are available going to the city and you can get one from the bus depots from Kandy, Anuradhapura, Kaduruwela and Colombo.

What to See

Once you get to Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka, you can easily walk around the ancient city where you can find the most beautiful temple ruins this side of the country.

Among the ruins that you can see here are the Royal Palace, the Lankatilaka Temple, Palace of King Nissanka Mella, a statue of King Parakramabahu, a complex of Buddhist Temples, and the Demala Maya Saha Temple.

You can also view the Topa Wewa Lake as well as the Sea of Parakrama.

For a bit of wildlife adventure, you can find several small wildlife sanctuaries here.

Brief History

Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka was formerly the capital city of the country, designated as such by King Vijayabahu I during the eleventh century AD. It remained as the capital city of the country until about the thirteenth century.

The reign of Parakmabahu I, the grandson of King Vijayabahu I was considered as the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa. It was during this time that the city showed great progression towards economic development.

It was in the year 1982 when the ancient city of Polonnaruwa was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Polonnaruwa is considered as one of the cleanest as well as the most picturesque cities of Sri Lanka.

Cost

A visit to the ruins of Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka would cost roughly about USD20 for adults and USD10 for children. This roughly between 2,200 and 1,100 Sri Lankan Rupees.

For accommodations around Polonnaruwa – Sri Lanka are approximately around 500 up to 900 Sri Lankan Rupees for budget rooms and 1200 up to 1900 Sri Lankan Rupees for mid-range rooms.

Other Information

The best way to explore the entire city, beyond the ancient ruins, is via a bicycle ride. You can find several bike rentals from the hotels, inns or guesthouses around Polonnaruwa.