6 Must-See Things in The Ancient City Polonnaruwa – A curated guide to the wonders of an ancient city

The ruins of the once the grand Royal Palace of Sri Lanka's great King Parakumba, who ruled the island from 1153 to 1186, should figure prominently on your list of places to visit in Polonnaruwa. According to historic records, the seven-story palace, took over seven years and seven months to construct. Today visitors can take in only three stories with 55 rooms. The ruins of the palace can be easily reached from hotels in this historical city such as Hotel Sudu Araliya with ease.

Considered to be the oldest building in Polonnaruwa City, the Shiba Devale No.2 dates all the way back to the South Indian Chola dynasty period. Hewn entirely out of stone, the structure of the Shiva Devale remains in the same pristine condition as it was when it was first created. During your visit, do make it a point to take in the intricate detailing of Nandi, the bull - the statue of Lord Shiva's mount.

Hall. The once magnificent Audience Hall of King Parakramabahu the First, visitors today can take in intricately carved stone elephants standing guard alongside each of its walls. An interesting point to note is that the carved elephants look different from one another. One can also take in two majestic stone lions on either side of the stair ware leading up to the impressive Hall.

Located in a shady corner of the Palace grounds, the famed swimming pool is a beautiful and iconic attraction that has graced many a postcard representing the city of Polonnaruwa. Here, one can observe and marvel at the engineering feat of the ancient past in the freshwater sprouting directly into the pool from crocodile-mouth-shaped shoots. It's a great attraction to take in during a hot afternoon, as the area remains cool with a refreshing breeze often rifling through.

Designed in keeping with the tradition of the magnificent Anuradhapura Maha Vihara, the Rankot Vihara Stupa was built under the patronage of Nissanka Malla of the ancient Polonnaruwa city. Also known as Ruwanweli, the stupa stands at an impressive height of over 54 meters.

Seemingly vast and beautiful, the ancient reservoir known as Polonnaruwa Tank is unmissable during your time in the ancient city. The tank has been built in such a way by the engineers of the old - that one can only see it if one walks towards it, and remains a hydraulic marvel created by engineers of antiquity. The embankments surrounding the tank make for a great place to kick back and relax, enjoy the cool breeze and possibly even have a picnic lunch under a shady tree.