Polonnaruwa Gal Viharaya

What?
This is a grand seven-story palace, featuring massive brick walls and remnants of ancient sculptures.

Where?
It is located in Polonnaruwa District and approximately 220 km from Colombo.

When?
It can be visited all year long, though early mornings or late evenings are the best times to visit.

Polonnaruwa Gal Viharaya (Rock Temple) is a great attraction in Polonnaruwa. It was constructed by King Parakramabahu I and is also called Uththararamaya. There are 3 kinds of statues that were carved in a single huge granite rock: seated Buddha statues in Vidyadhara Guhawa, a standing Buddha statue that was done on a lotus stage, and a 14-meter long Buddha’s Parinirvana statue, or a lying-down Buddha statue (Parinirvana means entering Nirvana). There are some faded frescoes and rock carvings of those artists who tried to make a different Parinirvana sleep pose from the normal sleep poses.