Ruined Cities of Sri Lanka - Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa & more
Vatadage in Polonnaruwa
Sri Lanka's two by far most significant ancient cities with imposing monuments are Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Asked which one is the most impressive of Sri Lanka's "ruined cities in the jungle", the short answer is: It depends. Anuradhapura is historically by far more important, because it is older and served as the island's capital for 1400 years and in her heydays attracted Buddhist scholars from all parts of Asia. The world's largest ancient stupas with hemispherical domes are to be seen in Anuradhapura and the most excellent specimens of typical Sri Lankan sculptural art, too, namely the famous Samadhi Buddha and the most excellent moonstone and the most detailed guardstone, too. However, Polonnaruwa, which served as the capital from the early 11th to almost the mid 13th century, is more charming, as the buildings are more densily distributed and in a better state of conservation and among Polonnaruwa's attractions are two of the most iconic sights of the ancient Sinhalese civilization, namely the circular temple on the ceremonial "quadrangle" platform with the largest group of ancient buildings and the rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara, which are indisputably the finest pieces of sculptural art of this kind on the island. If you have time only for the visit of one of the two ancient and medieval capitals, let's say: the historian will choose Anuradhapura definitely, but for families traveling with kids exploring Polonnaruwa will be more exciting for sure. But asked what historians traveling with kids would prefer ... we have no idea.
After Anuradhapura, the island had several more capitals in quick succession during the late Middle Ages and early modern period, namely Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Gampola, Kotte, Sitawake. However only few and small remnants have survived from their respective heydays, except from Yapahuwa. Yapahuwa is small in size when compared to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, but special in its design. The most impressive building is a magnificent stairway at the slope of an isolated rock and has two rings of fortification walls to the bottom of the rock. Yapahuwa is lonesome and a scenic attraction, too.
Talking about scenic cities on and around a rock, what comes to ones mind first is Sigiriya of course. Sigiriya is from the 5th century and was a short-term capital during the mid Anuradhapura period. Sure, Sigiriya is most famous for the spectacular rock palace and the ancient frescos called clous maidens and Asia's most ancient garden surviving till the present day. However, Sigiriya was not only a royal palace, but an entire city, which was situated to the west of the palace. But today only the palace with rock and garden is the imposing part of this large ancient capital.
Though in antiquity Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka's by far most important town and often in charge of the entire island, the very southeast and the west of the island formed principalities that can sometimes by called kingdoms in their own right, namely Rohana (today callled Ruhuna in Sinhala) and Mayarata (later called Dakkhinadesa in the late Anuradhapura and following periods) in the west. Both had capitals, too. The capital of Rohana, Tissamaharama, is sometimes called "the Anuradhapura of the south", the reason is that it also has stupas of enourmous dimensions. However, the ruined city of Tissamaharama is much, much smaller than that of Anuradhapura. Not much remains from the ancient capital of the western region of the island, Kelaniya. To be sure, Kelaniya is a vibrant city today and the Kelaniya temple is among the most revered on the island. However, the structures are modern. This is to say, Kelaniya is quite the opposite of a ruined city in the jungle. But the west had a different capital in the Polonnaruwa period, namely the ruined city that is called Panduvasnuwara today. Again, Panduwasnuwara is much less impressive than Polonnaruwa. But it's a kind of predecessor or prototype of Polonnaruwa. The founder of the royal city of Panduwasnuwara of which ruins can be studied today was no less than Parkramabahu I, the mightiest king of the Polonnaruwa period. Before he came to power in Polonnaruwa as a result of long military campaigns and a contract of succession, Parakramabahu was the king of the western area. He is the first king of this region who gained control over the entire island, because he showed his administrational skills, particularly concerning irrigation and trade, when he resided in Panduwasnuwara. In the south is also a ruined city from the Polonnaruwa period, namely in the area of which is Ridiyagama today. The sacred area of this once important city is the large compound of what is today called the temple of Ramba Viharaya. Actually, Ramba Viharaya includes several ancient constructions, image houses in particular.
The hillcountry has no large ancient sites from the ancient period. But a doorway of an ancient fortification wall from the Anuradhapura period can be seen in the Kotmale Valley, it's called Dehadu Kadulla.
After Anuradhapura, the island had several more capitals in quick succession during the late Middle Ages and early modern period, namely Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Gampola, Kotte, Sitawake. However only few and small remnants have survived from their respective heydays, except from Yapahuwa. Yapahuwa is small in size when compared to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, but special in its design. The most impressive building is a magnificent stairway at the slope of an isolated rock and has two rings of fortification walls to the bottom of the rock. Yapahuwa is lonesome and a scenic attraction, too.
Talking about scenic cities on and around a rock, what comes to ones mind first is Sigiriya of course. Sigiriya is from the 5th century and was a short-term capital during the mid Anuradhapura period. Sure, Sigiriya is most famous for the spectacular rock palace and the ancient frescos called clous maidens and Asia's most ancient garden surviving till the present day. However, Sigiriya was not only a royal palace, but an entire city, which was situated to the west of the palace. But today only the palace with rock and garden is the imposing part of this large ancient capital.
Though in antiquity Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka's by far most important town and often in charge of the entire island, the very southeast and the west of the island formed principalities that can sometimes by called kingdoms in their own right, namely Rohana (today callled Ruhuna in Sinhala) and Mayarata (later called Dakkhinadesa in the late Anuradhapura and following periods) in the west. Both had capitals, too. The capital of Rohana, Tissamaharama, is sometimes called "the Anuradhapura of the south", the reason is that it also has stupas of enourmous dimensions. However, the ruined city of Tissamaharama is much, much smaller than that of Anuradhapura. Not much remains from the ancient capital of the western region of the island, Kelaniya. To be sure, Kelaniya is a vibrant city today and the Kelaniya temple is among the most revered on the island. However, the structures are modern. This is to say, Kelaniya is quite the opposite of a ruined city in the jungle. But the west had a different capital in the Polonnaruwa period, namely the ruined city that is called Panduvasnuwara today. Again, Panduwasnuwara is much less impressive than Polonnaruwa. But it's a kind of predecessor or prototype of Polonnaruwa. The founder of the royal city of Panduwasnuwara of which ruins can be studied today was no less than Parkramabahu I, the mightiest king of the Polonnaruwa period. Before he came to power in Polonnaruwa as a result of long military campaigns and a contract of succession, Parakramabahu was the king of the western area. He is the first king of this region who gained control over the entire island, because he showed his administrational skills, particularly concerning irrigation and trade, when he resided in Panduwasnuwara. In the south is also a ruined city from the Polonnaruwa period, namely in the area of which is Ridiyagama today. The sacred area of this once important city is the large compound of what is today called the temple of Ramba Viharaya. Actually, Ramba Viharaya includes several ancient constructions, image houses in particular.
The hillcountry has no large ancient sites from the ancient period. But a doorway of an ancient fortification wall from the Anuradhapura period can be seen in the Kotmale Valley, it's called Dehadu Kadulla.
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Ramba Vihara near Embilipitiya
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