In the center of the complex stood the Royal Palace, built by Parakramabahu I and originally a massive wood and stone structure seven storeys in height, with a floor plan of 31m by 13m (100ft by 43ft).The upper floors were of wood, and only the massive, 3m (10ft) thick lower walls survive.

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.

While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real Polonnaruwa Hero of the history books is actually his grandson, Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the King, who was adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted, and each be used toward the development of the land; hence, irrigation systems far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign, systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems, of course is the Parakrama Samudraya or the Sea of Parakrama, a tank so vast that it is often mistaken for the ocean. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a defensive border against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign.

Gal Vihare

Gal Vihare

The Gal Vihare is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in north-central Sri Lanka. It was constructed in Polonnaruwa in the 12th century by Parakramabahu the Great. His architects excavated the shrine and left an inscription describing their work.

The central attraction of the shrine are four large statues of the Buddha, which were carved into the face of a granite boulder by Parakramabahu's architects. These include a recumbent statue of the Buddha measuring 46 ft. and a standing statue which is 23 ft. in height.

There is also a standing figure on a lotus throne inside the shrine which has been identified by some historians to be that of Ananda, the Buddha's chief disciple, weeping over the recumbent figure of the Buddha who has just attained Nirvana. However some, including Dr. Andreas Nell disagree, suggesting the figure is that of the Buddha, and the expression of sorrow is due to wear caused by the elements