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Polonnaruwa-
Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th
Century AD. In its time, a 6 km (3 ½ mile) rampart protected the
city. Even during the Anuradhapura era, this was an important city
because it strategically commanded all the crossings over the
Mahaveli River and acted as a buffer against the invading armies.
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Things to Experince
in Polonnaruwa |
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Parakrama Samudra-
Parakrama Samudra is an irrigation tank
built by King Parakramabahu I. It covers an area of 5,940 acres,
hence its name, 'Samudra' meaning the sea. It has 11 channels
directing water to feed a network of irrigation canals and smaller
tanks. |
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Archaeological Museum-
Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum contains superb Chola bronzes and
other artefacts |
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Summer Palace-
Summer Palace of King Parakramabahu
is now home to a variety of birds. |
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Potgul Vehera
(Library Museum)-
Here you will find four small dagabas surrounding
a circular brick building on the central platform. The acoustics of
this building are excellent and this has led to the suggestion that
it was a lecture theatre where the tenets of Buddhism were read
aloud. |
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Statue of King Parakramabahu I-
Statue of King Parakramabahu I or Agastaya is a huge 12th Century AD rock
sculpture. A barefoot figure clad only in sarong, stands out of the
rock from which he was carved. His broad face has a look of
seriousness and he is holding a sacred manuscript from which he
appears to be reading aloud. However, the subject of the statue is a
matter of debate. Was it Agastaya or King Parakramabahu I ?
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The Royal Palace
of King Parakramabahu I-
The Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu I was
built in the 11th Century. The massive brick walls of the main hall
stand amidst the ruins of about 40 inter-connecting rooms. The
palace originally rose to seven storeys, however since the upper
floors were wooden, no trace of them remains now. The Kumara Pokuna,
the handsome royal bath, is a bit further on from here. The Royal
pavilion still has its lion portals, graceful pillars and a
moonstone (a delicately carved stepping stone). |
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Audience Hall-
Audience Hall contains exquisite
stone carvings, bas-relief elephants support the base of this
building and the entrance has two flights of steps with moonstones
flanked by mythical dragons. |
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Kumara Pokuna-
Kumara Pokuna is where the ladies of
the court would have taken their evening bath. |
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Dalada Maluwa
(The terrace of the Tooth Relic)-
The centerpiece of the ancient
city. It was a sacred precinct containing 12 magnificent buildings.
Today it is known as the Quadrangle. |
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Vatadage
(a circular stupah ouse with roof)-
Built in the 7th Century, it is one of the
oldest monuments in Polonnaruwa. |
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Thuparamaya-
Thuparamaya is an image house built in
the 3rd Century BC for the worship of Lord Buddha. It is built in a
style of the original form of architecture that flowered at
Polonnaruwa. The barrel-vaulted and domed buildings had very thick
brick walls, stuccoed and painted with figures and architectural
subjects. The roof is still intact and several images in the
interior are preserved. |
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Atadage
(House of Eight Relics)-
This was the first Tooth Temple built by
King Vijayabahu in the 11th century. This is a neat plantation of 54
stone columns. A statue of Lord Buddha, almost 3 m (10 ft) in
height, stands amongst the columns. |
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Hatadage-
Hatadage Relic Shrine resembles the
Atadage in plan and name and was built for the same purpose. Its
thick stone walls still contain three carvings of Lord Buddha.
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Galpota
(Stone Book)-
An inscription recording the foundation and
embellishment of the city. |
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Sathmahal Prasada (Seven-Storied Stupa)-
Has an
unusual stepped pyramidal form. The design of this contributes
significantly to the study of stupa evolution. |
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Pabulu Vehera-
A brick dagaba built by Queen
Rupavati - one of King Parakramabahu's queens. It is surrounded by
image houses. |
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Shiva Devale-
Shiva Devale is a Hindu shrine. It is
the only all-stone temple still in perfect condition. This shrine
was built in the 11th Century and some superb bronze statues were
found within. |
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Menikvehera-
Menikvehera appears to be constructed
in at least two stages, and the first stage dates around the 8th
Century AD. The stupa is built on a high walled terrace with a small
lotus-shaped stupa in the centre. It is unique in its design.
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Alahana Pirivena-
Alahana Pirivena was a Buddhist
monastic university. It consisted of many separate apartments laid
out to a regular plan. Each apartment was two-storied with tiled
roofs and had its own living unit. However, the bath-house,
refectory and other facilities were shared. |
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Rankotvehera (Golden Pinnacle)-
One of the two big stupas of the
Alahana Pirivena monastic complex. |
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Buddha Sima Pasada-
Buddha Sima Pasada was a
chapter house. Its sacred functions were to enforce the rules of the
Buddhist priests. |
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Lankathilaka-
The walls of this image house soar to
a height of 16 m (55 ft). Inside the shrine stands the headless
statue of a Lord Buddha and the interior walls are adorned with
murals. The outside walls are horizontally divided into five floors.
Inside is a single tall space, which is now open to the sky but must
have had a type of domed roof. |
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Kirivehera (Milk White House)-
One of the two big stupas of the Alahana Pirivena monastic complex. It is the
best-preserved dagaba with its original lime plaster stucco intact
and the remains of small structures cluster around it. |
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Galvehera-
Galvehera is one of the most famous
sites in Sri Lanka. It consists of three figures of Lord Buddha
carved out of a cliff of granite. The first figure is a sitting
Buddha with an artificial cavern cut out of the rock. The other two
are an upright Buddha and a reclining Buddha. The reclining Buddha
is 14 m (46 ft) in length. |
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Lotus Pond-
Within the Jetavanarama Monastery is
this elegant pond built in the shape of an open lotus. |
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Tivanka-
Tivanka is the most important building in
the Jetavana Monastery. It is an image-house. The name is derived
from the image of the Lord Buddha in the narrow antechamber, which
is seen in the 'Tivanka' or thrice bent posture. The most important
paintings of the Polonnaruwa period were found on the walls of the
Tivanka. |
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