It was about 3 pm when we arrived at Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa was slightly smaller than Anuradhapura. The sun was high in the sky, so it was wise to start off with a quick visit to the Polonnaruwa Visitor Informtion Centre and Museum. The museum gave a good introduction of the Polonnaruwa area and also featured some artefacts found here. There were quite a number of tourists and school students who were there, probably to enjoy the aircon. You can purchase tickets to the heritage site which was US$25.
.
We drove southwards to the Southern Group, passing by the scenic lake front. It is worth stopping to take some photos if the lights are good.
The key attraction here would be the 9th century 3.5 m statue of a bearded person, believed to be that of King Parakramabahu. This image is used in publicity materials for this area.
About 100 metres away are a series of buildings thought to be the living quarters of the monastry. It also housed a library.
Remember to wear a hat or bring an umbrella....
Next, we headed north towards the Royal Palace Group. The palace belonged to King Parakramabahu.
The palace used to be 7-storey high and boasted 1,000 rooms.
Not far from the palce was the Royal Baths, shaped like a combination of a cross and a square.
The Council Chamber was well preserved.
For more entries on Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka travels
Not far from the palce was the Royal Baths, shaped like a combination of a cross and a square.
 |
| The Council Chamber |
For more entries on Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka travels
No comments :
Post a Comment