Colombo Trip Overview
The kingdom of Dambadeniya was at its peak during the mid-thirteenth century, especially during the reign of King Parakramabahu II. You will get to see where the tooth relic was housed previously, and the ruins of the royal palace complex with its gardens, walls, and moats. Then proceed to Panduwasnuwara, the ancient city was one of the first kingdoms of Sri Lanka, having been the capital during the 5th century BC. The site was used much later in the 12th century as well. Your final destination will be Yapahuwa which was the capital of Sri Lanka right after Dambadeniya when the Dravidians invaded. The fortress was built on a giant rock in the style of the Sigiriya rock fortress. However, the architecture of this fortress is completely different from Sigiriya with wide staircases, beautiful stone sculptures and highly detailed carvings on pillars. On your visit, you will be able to climb to the fortress and view the ruins of the stupa on the summit of the rock.
Additional Info
Duration: 11 to 12 hours
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
The kingdom of Dambadeniya was at its peak during the mid-thirteenth century, especially during the reign of King Parakramabahu II. You will get to see where the tooth relic was housed previously, and the ruins of the royal palace complex with its gardens, walls, and moats. Then proceed to Panduwasnuwara, the ancient city was one of the first kingdoms of Sri Lanka, having been the capital during the 5th century BC. The site was used much later in the 12th century as well. Your final destination will be Yapahuwa which was the capital of Sri Lanka right after Dambadeniya when the Dravidians invaded. The fortress was built on a giant rock in the style of the Sigiriya rock fortress. However, the architecture of this fortress is completely different from Sigiriya with wide staircases, beautiful stone sculptures and highly detailed carvings on pillars. On your visit, you will be able to climb to the fortress and view the ruins of the stupa on the summit of the rock.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Dambadeniya, Dambadeniya, North Western Province
Dambadeniya kingdom came in to existence with the fall of Polonnaruwa kingdom to Kalinga Maga in the 13th century and a new king Vijayabahu III (also known as Vathhimi Vijayabahu) established his kindom under the protection of the Dambadeniya Rock in 1232. Along with this shift the Tooth Relic was too moved to Dambadeniya. It is believed that 2 relic houses were built at this kingdom, one at the top of the Dambadeniya rock where the palace was built and the other in the inner city which is now the Sri Wijayasundararamaya Rajamaha Viharaya.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Panduwasnuwara Kingdom, J433+82W, Kottamba Pitiya, Sri Lanka
Panduwasnuwara is an ancient capital, situated in Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka. It is said to be the controlling centre known as Parakramapura of Dakkhinadesa (South Country) in the 12th century, when it was ruled by Parakramabahu. The remaining ruins of the ancient kingdom still can be seen at Kotampitiya area which lies along Wariyapola-Chilaw main road about 19 km (12 mi) away from Wariyapola town. The current site has been identified as Parakramapura, the city of Dakkhinadesa, founded by king Parakramabahu the great when he was the sub king of the territory, and called as Panduwasnuwara presently. It is believed that the name Panduwasnuwara was come to the usage during recent Kurunegala period.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Yapahuwa Rock Fortress, Yapahuwa Sri Lanka
The Yapahuwa Rock Fortress is home to a cave temple dating back to the 13th century, just one of the few caves in Sri Lanka that showcases frescoes depicting ancient folklore, wooden Buddha statues and interestingly one statue cast from bronze. The recent discovery of human settlements dating back to the pre-historic era (1000 BC – 500 BC) puts it right up there as one of the most important archaeological sites in Sri Lanka too. The rock fortress is covered in a riot of decoration showing high quality craftsmanship that was preponderant during the glory days of the kingdom of Yapahuwa.
Duration: 3 hours
