Royal Palace of King Maha Parakramabahu — Attraction in North Central Province

The Cholas shifted the capital city to Polonnaruwa since they found it had the best fertile lands in Sri Lanka (nigaril valanadu (uncomparable land) was name for the district and named polonnaruwa -jananatha mangalam. the mahaweli river flowing through it can take you to the sea. Vijayabahu 's victory the real "Hero of Polonnaruwa" of the history books is actually Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa. Trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the king, who was so adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted and each was to be used toward the development of the land. Hence, irrigation systems that are far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign - systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems is the Parakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign. With the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I, all other monarchs of Polonnaruwa were slightly weak-willed and rather prone to picking fights within their own court. [citation needed ] They also went on to form more intimate matrimonial alliances with stronger South Indian kingdoms until these matrimonial links superseded the local royal lineage. This prompted an invasion by the Aryacakravarti dynasty King Kalinga Magha in 1214, who founded the Jaffna kingdom...

The Royal Palace of King Maha Parakramabahu, also known as the King's Palace of Polonnaruwa, is a historic site located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. King Maha Parakramabahu the Great, who reigned from 1153 to 1186 AD, was a significant ruler in Sri Lankan history, and he is known for his contributions to the city's architectural and cultural heritage.

The Royal Palace was one of the grand structures built during King Maha Parakramabahu's reign. It was a multi-story building constructed using brick and stone, showcasing the advanced architectural skills of the time. The palace was known for its impressive scale and design, with evidence of advanced engineering techniques used in its construction.

The layout of the Royal Palace complex included various chambers, halls, and courtyards. While many parts of the palace have suffered from the ravages of time, some ruins and foundation structures remain, giving visitors a glimpse into the palace's former grandeur.

The Royal Palace of King Maha Parakramabahu is an important archaeological site and historical attraction in Polonnaruwa, and it provides valuable insights into the architectural and cultural achievements of the ancient Sinhalese civilization. Visitors to Polonnaruwa can explore the ruins of the palace as part of their tour of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed city, which served as the second capital of...

This was built by king Maha Parakramabhahu (great Parakramabhahu ). After assuming as the king for whole Sri Lanka he decided to rebuild Polonnaruwa as the capital of Sri Lanka. King Parakramabhahu's era (about 33 years) was one of the greatest period of architectural activities in Sri Lankan history.

He decided to built his palace within the citadel. He named this palace "vaijayantha prasada". Vaijayantha means "the palace of gods"

This palace was seven storied building. It was a bricks and wooden structure.

According to Prof. Anuradha Senevirathna's 'Polonnaruwa' book "This palace was seven stories high and furnished with a thousand chambers. It was adorned with hundreds of pillars painted in different colors, supplied with hundreds of alcoves, radient with ornaments of climbing plants and flowers, the height of its splendour was reached in the royal sleeping apartment, resplendent with thick bunches of pearls, white as moonbeams, adorned with a wreath of large golden lamp stands which breathed out continually the perfume of flowers and incense, the network of tiny golden bells suspended here and there giving forth a sound like five musical instruments "

There are some items such as theatres, picture galleries pavilions attached to this palace to maintain their royal life.

In nowadays we can see ruins of three stories...