Showing posts with label Places must Visit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Places must Visit. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Vatadage - Polonnaruwa

The Vatadage

This circular relic house possesses an elegance and beauty that is rare even in ancient Sri Lanka. In line with the outer circle of stone pillars is a tastefully ornamented screen wall patterned with four petaled flowers.
The flights of access stairs at the cardinal points are of stone and are beautifully carved. At the head of each flight is a Buddha statue in stone. The shrine is lavished with moonstones., guard stones and sculptured writings.
The shrine, like all dagobas in Sri Lanka, is oriented towards the cardinal points - north, south, east and west. Four Buddha statues face outwards, with their backs to the dagaba mound.






 Il Vatadage

Questa casa circolare reliquia possiede un eleganza e la bellezza che è raro anche nelle antiche Sri Lanka. In linea con il cerchio esterno di pilastri di pietra è un muro di schermo gusto ornato modellato con quattro fiori petali.

Le rampe delle scale di accesso ai punti cardinali sono di pietra e sono ben scolpiti. A capo di ogni volo è una statua di Buddha in pietra. Il santuario è prodigato con pietre di luna. pietre guardia e scritti scolpiti.

Il santuario, come tutte le dagobas in Sri Lanka, è orientato verso i punti cardinali - nord, sud, est e ovest. Quattro statue di Buddha viso verso l'esterno, con le spalle al tumulo dagaba.

Parakrama Samudra - Polonnaruwa

Parakrama Samudra

One of the most striking features in Polonnaruwa is the vast Parakrama Samudra (Sea of Parakramabahu), an irrigation tank built, as the name indicates by King Parakramabahu the Great.  This was his largest irrigation project and covers an area of more than 15 Km2.The dam (or bund, as it is known in Sri Lanka, is almost 14 Km long and 12 metres high.
The Dipuyyana (Island Garden) is on the promontory by the rest house. When King Parakramabahu had built his vast lake, he selected this lovely spot for a royal garden. Later King Nissankamalla liked it so much that he built his palace and council chambers there.