Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka’s capital between 11th-13th centuries AD. This ancient city was enclosed within three concentric walls to protect it against the South Indian Chola invaders, after they were repelled by the Sinhalese King Vijayabahu I in the 10th century AD. The Polonnaruwa kingdom contained royal palaces, bathing ponds, monasteries, dagabas, and image houses and its splendor was largely the creation of three kings – Kings Vijayabahu I, Parakramabahu I, and Nissankamalla I (the latter being a Kalinga prince from India).
This kingdom lasted for nearly two centuries before it fell again to foreign invaders from India, forcing the Sinhalese to shift the capital once more to Kurunegala, a city located west and south of Polonnaruwa. The sites in Polonnaruwa reflect a combination of Sinhalese and South Indian cultures and architecture because the area was governed by these two nations at some stage or other of its history. Polonnaruwa is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site.