Polonnaruwa – Medieval Capital City

Since the end of the Kingdom of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa became the capital of medieval Lanka between the 11th and 13th centuries. Polonnaruwa comprises extraordinary archeological evidence of architectural monuments, excellent artistic creations and all necessary features of an ancient city. Considering these aspects the UNESCO declared Polonnaruwa a World Heritage Site in 1982.

Note – The second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader.