From the 11^th to the 13^th centuries this majestic and formidable city represented the political, economic and cultural hub of Sri Lanka as a whole. Construction began under the auspices of King Vijayabahu I, but it was the indefatigable Parakramabahu I who brought Polonnaruwa its golden age; creating the advanced irrigation systems still evident today in the so-called Topa Wewa Lake and Parakrama Samudra sections of the UNESCO site. Temples and crumbling stupas, reliefs and statues of religious importance abound here too, from the impressive walls of the Lankatilaka and the Buddhist statues of the Gal Vihara to the colossal Rankoth Vehera stupa dwarfing the foundations of the 11^th century council chamber below it.

Once the history and heritage is done and dusted, Polonnaruwa tour guides beckon travellers out to sight the gentle giants that amble their way back and forth through the famous elephant corridor that link the Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks nearby.