Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle: 7 Fascinating Places to See

Climb 1,202 steps up the side of a gargantuan rust-colored rock, and you reach the 5th century royal palace and fortress of King Kashyapa I, perched improbably on top.

This is Sigiriya – UNESCO-listed and every bit as dramatic as it sounds.

Don’t fret about climbing up all in one go. There are terraces and platforms along the way where we could stop, catch our breath and take in the increasingly fabulous views.

Meet the ladies of Sigiriya

About halfway up, a spiral metal staircase leads to a sheltered rock face, painted with beautiful frescoes of bare-breasted women (believed to have belonged to the king’s harem).

At one time, 500 of these beguiling ladies – holding flowers and baskets of fruit – decorated the rock’s “waistband.” But only 19 are visible today.

Just past the colorful Sigiriya frescoes, there’s the Mirror Wall. It was polished so highly in ancient times that the king supposedly could see his reflection in it.

Through the lion’s gate

Keep climbing and you eventually reach a large plateau with two enormous stone lion’s paws. They guard the final staircase to the summit.

The last climb between the lion’s paws – up through what was once the mouth of a gigantic lion – is the most challenging bit, especially if heights make you nervous. (Many people turn around here.)

The reward at the top

Once we reached the summit, we were so high above the emerald plains below, it seemed we could touch the cloudless sky. Perhaps that’s how Kashyapa felt? No wonder he wanted his Sky Palace up here!

But no one knows for sure why the king built his palace on top of Sigiriya. Some believe it was meant to symbolize a gateway to the heavens. Others think it was primarily a fortress.

Today, only red-brick foundations and a vast pool remain. But we could imagine the splendor of the palace that once crowned the rock.

Sigiriya has sometimes been called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” And really, hauling all the materials up this massive rock to create such an architectural marvel – complete with elaborate landscaped water gardens at its base – still seems almost impossible.

Then there are the views.

Beyond the palace ruins, a sea of green jungle stretches seemingly forever in every direction.

It was one of those views that made us linger longer than planned – until we saw the conga line of people making their way up below. That was our cue to make a beeline back down before we had to squeeze past too many of them on the stairs.

2) Sacred city of Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura feels less like an archaeological site and more like an entire lost city – which it is.

It was Sri Lanka’s first great capital. And it flourished for more than 1,000 years, from the 4th century BC to the 11th century AD.

It’s enormous. Ancient monasteries, bathing ponds, crumbling temples and colossal stupas are scattered across some 16 square miles of leafy countryside.

The “Great Stupa”

We were particularly struck by the Great Stupa (or Great Dagoba), Ruwanwelisaya. (“Dagoba” is the traditional Sri Lankan term for a stupa.)

This huge white stupa rises almost dreamily above the trees, encircled at its base by some 1,900 sculpted stone elephants.

Originally built in the 2nd century BC – and once one of the largest manmade structures in the world (rivaling Egypt’s Pyramids!) – it’s still an important place of worship today.

The world’s oldest tree

We also saw the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree. It’s believed to have grown from a cutting of the original Bodhi tree in India under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.

Planted more than 2,000 years ago, it’s considered the oldest living human-planted tree in the world (with a known planting date).

3) Mihintale

Where Buddhism took root

Mihintale is regarded as the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Legend has it that in the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka of India sent his son, the Buddhist monk Mahinda, to Sri Lanka to spread the Buddha’s teachings.

Here on Mihintale’s frangipani-forested hill, Mahinda came across King Devanampiyatissa while the king was hunting. He persuaded him not to kill a stag. The king eventually converted to Buddhism and established a monastery on this spot. Buddhism then spread across Sri Lanka.

Today, the hillside is sprinkled with white stupas, shrines, caves and the remains of that ancient monastery.

Getting to them involves climbing – again!

A long stone staircase leads up through the trees, and the higher we climbed, the more beautiful the views became.

The monastery ruins

One of the most intriguing ruins of the monastery’s refectory our guide showed us? The “rice boat.”

We sometimes have difficulty cooking just for the two of us. This stone trough – at least 30 feet long – was used to make enough rice to feed 2,000 monks, twice a day!

Climbing Aradhana Gala

We also climbed Aradhana Gala, the rocky outcrop that rises above the monastery complex.

Because it’s a sacred Buddhist site, we had to leave our shoes behind and make the final climb barefoot. Handrails help on the steeper sections, but scrambling over sun-warmed rock in bare feet certainly made the climb memorable!

At the top, we were wowed with sweeping views over the surrounding countryside, including the sight of the brilliant white Maha Seya stupa, standing out against the green forest.

Instead of one grand temple, you climb a rocky hillside to discover a series of ancient caves filled with Buddha statues and brilliantly painted walls and ceilings.

The sacred Dambulla cave temple complex (and UNESCO World Heritage Site) dates back more than 2,000 years, although much of what you see today was restored and embellished by later Sri Lankan kings.

There are 80 documented caves in all, but five are the ones you come to see. Together, they contain some 150 Buddha statues, along with statues of Sri Lankan kings and Hindu deities.

And, this being Sri Lanka, there were cheeky monkeys hanging about outside too!

5) Ancient city of Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa is the prettiest of all the ancient cities in Sri Lanka. It isn’t as spread out as Anuradhapura either, which makes it easier to explore.

Polonnaruwa took over Anuradhapura as Sri Lanka’s capital and reached its golden age in the 12th century.

Today, hundreds of ruins remain within the UNESCO-listed archaeological park.

What to see in Polonnaruwa

One highlight is the Sacred Quadrangle. It’s a collection of some of Polonnaruwa’s most impressive religious buildings.

At its heart sits a circular relic house ringed by carved stone walls, decorated with lions and lotuses. Four ornate stone staircases lead inside to four seated Buddha statues.

Bike or drive?

Because the site is mostly flat, bicycles are a popular way to explore. But remember it’s hot! And there isn’t much shade when you’re pedaling between the ruins.

We suggest driving between the main areas in an air-conditioned vehicle, hopping out as needed to explore each cluster of ruins on foot. (Tuk-tuks are also available.)

6) Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth

Sri Lanka’s last royal capital, Kandy is a bustling and somewhat scruffy modern city today. But it’s worth visiting, if only for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth and its golden canopy over the inner shrine room

The story behind the sacred tooth

The temple supposedly houses one of Buddha’s teeth, brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD, hidden in a princess’s hair.

This wasn’t just any sacred relic. Whoever possessed the tooth was believed to have the right to rule the country.

Inside the temple

The temple itself is gorgeous. We spent a good hour, admiring its elaborately carved woodwork, painted ceilings and beautiful ivory, lacquer and metal details.

Mingling with the flow of worshippers carrying lotus blossoms and other offerings, we found the whole experience wonderfully atmospheric.

Meet a beloved elephant

Before leaving the temple, slip inside the tiny museum preserving Raja the Tusker, one of Sri Lanka’s most famous ceremonial elephants. For decades, he carried the sacred tooth relic casket during Kandy’s spectacular Festival of the Tooth.

As we spent three days in Kandy, we had lots of time to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, a short tuk-tuk drive from the city center.

The gardens were once reserved for Kandyan royalty. Later, under British rule, they were turned into a botanical garden. Today, they spread across 147 lush acres beside the Mahaweli River.

We happily wandered around for several hours.

What to see in the gardens

There’s plenty to make you stop and stare – orchids, enormous tropical trees, brilliantly colored flowers, extraordinary cannonball trees (named for their huge round fruit) and the impressive Avenue of Royal Palms.

Oh, and there are monkeys too!

And because we adore them, we naturally spent too much time watching moms and babies scampering about, munching fruit and generally getting up to monkey business.

Seven stops, one fascinating triangle

Ancient cities, sacred temples, grand ruins, gardens and more than a few steps – these are some of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka for history and culture lovers. (Actually, for anyone who likes a little adventure with their sightseeing!)

Have you visited any of them? What did you think? Tell us in the Comments section below.

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