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to start a tour of the site, before continuing

north to see the other principal monuments.

Royal Palace rUIN

The Royal Palace constructed by Parakrama-

bahu was a magnificent structure measuring

31m by 13m, and is said to have had seven

storeys. Today its crumbling remains look like

giant cavity-ravaged molars.

The 3m-thick walls have holes to receive

the floor beams for two higher floors; how-

ever, if there were another four levels, these

must have been made of wood. The roof in

this main hall, which had 50 rooms in all, was

supported by 30 columns.

Audience Hall rUIN

Parakramabahu’s Audience Hall is notable for

the frieze of elephants, each of which is in a

different position. There are fine lions at the

top of the steps.

Bathing Pool rUIN

In the southeast corner of the palace grounds,

the Bathing Pool (Kumara Pokuna) has two of

its crocodile-mouth spouts remaining.

1 Quadrangle

Only a short stroll north of the Royal Palace

ruins, the area known as the Quadrangle is

literally that – a compact group of fascinat-

ing ruins in a raised-up area bounded by a

wall. It’s the most concentrated collection of

buildings you’ll find in the Ancient Cities – an

archaeologist’s playpen. Besides the ruins de-

scribed here, look for the recumbent image

house, the chapter house, the Bodhisattva

shrine and the bodhi tree shrine.

Vatadage BUDDHISt

In the southeast of the Quadrangle, the vat-

adage (circular relic house) is typical of its

kind. Its outermost terrace is 18m in diame-

ter, and the second terrace has four entrances

flanked by particularly fine guardstones. The

moonstone at the northern entrance is reck-

oned to be the finest in Polonnaruwa. Four

separate entrances lead to the central dago-

ba with its four Buddhas. The stone screen is

thought to be a later addition, probably added

by Nissanka Malla.

Thuparama Gedige BUDDHISt

At the southern end of the Quadrangle, the

Thuparama Gedige is the smallest gedige

(hollow Buddhist temple with thick walls) in

Polonnaruwa, but is also one of the best: it’s

the only one with its roof intact, supported by

corbel arch-style supports. The inner chamber

is delightfully cool and contains eight beauti-

fully executed Buddha statues.

The building shows a strong Hindu influ-

ence and is thought to date from the reign of

Parakramabahu I.

Hatadage MoNUMENt

Erected by Nissanka Malla, the Hatadage

monument is said to have been built in 60

hours. It’s in poor condition today but was

originally a two-storey building (and may

have once housed the Buddha Tooth Relic).

Stand at the entrance and admire the sym-

metry of the pillars receding into the distance.

Latha-Mandapaya rUIN

The busy Nissanka Malla was responsible for

the Latha-Mandapaya. This unique structure

consists of a latticed stone fence – a curious

imitation of a wooden fence with posts and

railings – surrounding a very small dago-

ba. The dagoba is encircled by stone pillars

shaped like lotus stalks, topped by unopened

buds. It is said that Nissanka Malla sat within

this enclosure to listen to chanted Buddhist

texts.

Gal Pota MoNUMENt

The Gal Pota (Stone Book) is a colossal stone

representation of an ola book. It is nearly

9m long by 1.5m wide, and 40cm to 66cm

thick. The inscription on it, the longest such

stone inscription in Sri Lanka (and there are

many!), indicates that it was a Nissanka Malla

publication. Much of it extols his virtues as a

king, but it also includes the footnote that the

slab, weighing 25 tonnes, was dragged from

Mihintale, a mere 100km away.

Recumbent

Image House

Bodhisattva

Shrine

Bodhi

Tree Shrine

Chapter

Atadage House

Hatadage

Satmahal

Prasada

Gal

Pota

Vatadage

Latha-

Mandapaya

Thuparama

Gedige

Velaikkara

Slab

Inscription

Polonnaruwa Quadrangle