Cultural Triangle

Sigiriya is possibly the most impressive site in Sri Lanka. Situated on the top of a vast 200m granite rock lie the ruins of the legendary sky citadel (477 AD), which is famous for its frescoes of celestial maidens. Although it is a steep climb to the top, the views and frescoes are definitely worth the effort.

Visit Minneriya Sanctuary by jeep (at about 15:30), which is a huge water tank of 300ha, built in the 4th century by King Mahasena. The region is home to wild elephant, which in the afternoon gather in huge herds on the shores of the lake to drink and bathe.

The Dambulla Cave Temples date back to the 1st century BC. They are sited on a gigantic granite outcrop, which towers more than 160m above the surrounding land. The insides of the caves are completely covered by ancient frescoes depicting religious and secular scenes and house hundreds of statues, many of which are carved out of the living rock and the largest of which is the 15m long dying Buddha.

Polonnaruwa was the islands medieval capital between the 11th and 13th century. Built along side a large ancient artificial lake there are well-preserved ruins of palaces, bathing pools, stupas and exquisite rock sculptures of Buddha. Later visit the museum, which though small, is excellent.

Ritigala used to be the royal medicinal forest for the ancient cities in the area and was also the site for an important Buddhist monastic community which established itself in the area from the 3rd century BC. Today the visible remains are those of the monastic congregation, which practised meditation in total austerity, preferring the wild environment of the forests to the busy town. Rarely visited by tourists, this mystical place is incredibly beautiful and unspoilt, with shady forests filled with streams, pools, sculptural granite boulders and ancient elegant stone pathways, which wind through the forest to the ruins of the various meditation platforms. Ritigala can be visited at any time of the day since it is wonderfully cool and free of tourists.

Aukana, meaning ‘Sun Eater’, is the site of the island’s largest and best preserved ancient statue of Buddha. Carved from rock in the 5th century AD, it stands 13 metres high. The statue is spectacular and the drive to reach it is very pretty, much of which is along the dykes of the ancient manmade lakes. Look out for the tame ‘wild’ boar, which is very friendly and enjoys receiving the attention of visitors!

Anuradhapura is Sri Lanka’s most sacred town, dating back to the 6th century BC. It was made capital in 377 BC and remained an important centre of power until the 12th century AD. Most memorable are its gleaming white dagobas – large bell like structures, some of which are almost 60 metres high and which house Buddhist relics. However, Anuradhapura is best known for the Sri Maha Bodhi, which is the oldest documented tree in the world (2200 years). This was grown from a cutting of the Bo tree, under which Buddha achieved enlightenment.