https://travelpaused.com/d8fe19
22 views
Top Sights in Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is an ancient city in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its extensive ruins, well-preserved structures, and early engineering.
The site contains ruins of royal palaces, Buddhist monasteries, religious monuments, and a complex irrigation system that supported agriculture across the region.Polonnaruwa served as Sri Lanka’s second capital from the 11th to the 13th century, following the decline of Anuradhapura.Its rise began in the 10th century, when the South Indian Chola Empire used the city as a military base to control routes across the Mahaweli River and defend against resistance from the south.In 1070 CE, King Vijayabahu I defeated the Chola forces and re-established Polonnaruwa as the capital of a Sinhalese kingdom.The city reached its peak in the 12th century under King Parakramabahu I, who oversaw major urban expansion and the construction of large Buddhist monuments.He also developed an advanced irrigation network to support year-round farming, strengthening the economy and central administration.This period is often described as Polonnaruwa’s golden age, when much of the island was unified and the capital became a centre of power, religion, and engineering.Polonnaruwa remained the capital until the 13th century, when an invasion led by Kalinga Magha caused widespread destruction and political collapse.Power later shifted to the southwest, and the city was gradually abandoned, leaving behind the ruins visible today.