Ancient City
Just north of present-day Polonnaruwa town, 140km (90 miles) north of Kandy, are the ruins of ancient Polonnaruwa, which date from the late 10th century, when the marauding Chola invaders from southern India put Anuradapura to sword and fire; death & destruction. The invaders moved their stronghold to Polonnaruwa, strategically located for defence against attacks from the unconquered Sinhalese kingdom of Ruhuna. In 1070 the Dravidians were defeated & forcibly evicted from Polonnaruwa by the Sinhalese Prince Kirti of Ruhuna who became the king of Lanka by the name of Vijayabahu. Recognizing, however, that Anuradhapura's location made it vulnerable to assaults from southern India, the king and his successors made their capital at Polonnaruwa, adding enormous temples, palaces, parks, gardens and huge tanks.