Pollonaruwa

Pollonaruwa is the second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader. Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom’s first rulers.  The King’s Palace  The Stupa
Monastery of 6,000 monks now a home for 3,000 monkeys ( 4 kinds) #Pollonaruwa#UNESCOWorldHeritageSite #srilankrew#srilankanstyle Eulogized by Disney’s Monkey Kingdom movie, the lost city of Polonnaruwa is home to a vast monkey population living among the impressively preserved ruins. Described by the film as “a secret land of magic few humans have ever seen,” this ancient archaeological site is the best place in the country to get up close and personal with Sri Lanka’s three diurnal primates: the purple-faced leaf monkey, the toque macaque, and the grey langur. In many countries, primates are increasingly difficult to see and observe due to declining habitats. However, here in the heart of Sri Lanka’s dry zone, under the protection of the Smithsonian Primate Research Center, Polonnaruwa’s primate population has flourished. Conducting conservation and scientific research in the area for almost half a century, the center offers a chance for visitors to engage and connect with Sri Lankan primates in a bid to educate visitors on the desperate need to continue to protect these fascinating creatures. Monkies 🙂  They look very small in this photo but they are there in the trees 🙂 Each and every monkey here is accounted for 🙂  and even have namesThe Rock Temple – with 4 carvings of Buddha #Pollonaruwa#UNESCOWorldHeritageSite #srilankrew#srilankanstyle