Sri Lankan Cultural Triangle travel guide
Sri Lanka's cultural triangle – stretching from medieval Kandy to the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura to the north and Polonnaruwa to the east – is a treasure trove of some of the island’s, if not the world’s, finest ancient monuments.
The pinnacle of Buddhist art
The dry-zone plains north of Kandy were the heartlands of ancient Sri Lankan civilisation, and the ruins of the great cities which once flourished here are nothing less than staggering. The entire area is loosely referred to as the Cultural Triangle, an imaginary construct with its points at the three great Sinhalese capitals of Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, which encapsulates one of the world’s most extraordinary collections of Buddhist art and architecture.
Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa
Much of the region’s history is contained in the remains of Anuradhapura, capital of the island for well over a millennium and adorned by countless kings with a succession of extravagant buildings, including three of the largest stupas the world has ever seen. Nearby Mihintale is revered as the place where Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka, with a fascinating string of temples and stupas scattered across a beautiful hillside. Further south, and second only to Anuradhapura, the island’s medieval capital, Polonnaruwa, is a wonderful treasure trove of ancient Buddhist monuments, from royal palaces to colossal rock-cut statues.
Sigiriya, the Lion Rock
In the middle of the area lies Sigiriya, where a usurper defied engineering laws to build a royal palace in the sky on top of a giant rock – Sri Lanka’s single most extraordinary sight.
What to see in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle
Historic Anuradhapura
Enormous dagobas and jungle-swathed ancient ruins mark the site of Sri Lanka's capital for over 1,000 years. Read more about Anuradhapura...
Buddhist shrines at Mihintale
Pilgrims flock to the beautiful ancient temples and dagobas of Mihintale, the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Ancient architecture at Polonnaruwa
The second of ancient Sri Lanka's two great ruined capitals preserves a wealth of Buddhist arts and architecture. Read more about Polonnaruwa...
The golden rock of Sigiriya
One of Sri Lanka's most dramatic natural sights, the unforgettable rock-fortress of Sigiriya towers high over the surrounding plains.
Incredible cave temples at Dambulla
More or less at the centre of the Cultural Triangle, the imposing 160-metre (52ft) Dambulla Rock houses the most impressive and venerated Buddhist cave temples in Sri Lanka, festooned with a marvelous array of sculptures and murals. The temples were originally created by King Valagambahu I in the 1st century BC, although the site was repaired and further embellished by the kings of Kandy during the 17th and 18th centuries. The temples, halfway up the rock itself, are reached by a steep climb up a sequence of concrete steps, offering superb views over the plains and rocky outcrops of the Cultural Triangle, including magical views of Sigiriya in the distance.
The huge Aukana Buddha
The stately Aukana Buddha is the most perfectly preserved ancient statue in Sri Lanka. Aukana means “sun eating”, and the statue is best seen at dawn, when the low light shines directly into its face. Standing 13 metres (43ft) high, the imposing image was carved with supreme assurance out of a single rock. The Buddha stands erect, with his heavy right hand raised in the posture of blessing, while his other hand delicately touches his shoulder, as if holding his pleated robes in place. It is only when you lower your gaze to the massive feet that a crick in the neck remind you of the vastness of this statue.
Find out what to do in the Cultural Triangle...
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