Travel To World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka

  • Added:
    Mar 14, 2014
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Travel To World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka Photo by Ninad Chaudhari

Sri Lanka is known for its adventure sports, wildlife and mouth-watering cuisine. The dramatic vibe of these activities and sightseeing also gets extended to Sri Lankan culture.  No wonder that the cultural heritage of this country is an enriching element of Sri Lanka tour packages. Their historical architecture reveals their true legacy and spirit as well. When you consider these factors, it should come as no surprise that this small country has quite a few UNESCO World Heritage sites for its size.  With the right travel package and travel guide, these sites offer a great insight into ancient civilizations and a way of life.

Ancient city of Sigiriya: the dynasty of King Kassapa built this grand city, which lies in ruins today. This 5th century kingdom created the Lion Mountain, adorned with never ending series of galleries and staircases. This city was a remarkable milestone in the Singhalese culture. It was cultivated and created by the contribution of successive artists over the centuries. With the passage of time and the rise of other prevalent religions though, this city slowly lost its glory and cultural supremacy. But the architectural landmark it created still stands in some form today. 

Golden temple of Dambiulla:  This is a holy shrine for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. This cave monastery is the best preserved cave complex in Sri Lanka. The level of care taken has ensured that this structure still holds 157 statues and several Buddhist mural paintings. Buddhist devotees have been visiting this monastery for over two millenia. While the excavated temple was built in the third century BC, the art in the temple was being added until the 18th century.  This temple represents a vast range of historical artworks from the Singhalese culture.

Old Town of Galle: the Portuguese founded this aesthetic town in the 16th century. They continued to rule from this town till the arrival of the British in the 18th century. With sound fortification, this town blends European architectural style with South Asian traditions elegantly and seamlessly. This port city stood impregnable against several European forces for many years. Yet, after many a struggle, the town landed in the hands of Dutch and the British, who left Sri Lanka in 1951. So, this fort town has witnessed several centuries of political affairs, torrid wars and restorations. 

Ancient city of Polonnaruwa: Polonnaruwa was the second capital of this island country after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993 AD. This capital has witnessed the rise and fall of several kingdoms. Cholas, the disciples of the Brahmanic movement ruled this city till Singhalese sovereigns conquered it between the 12th and 13th century. It has a holy Buddhist shrine that once held an ancient and holy relic – a tooth of the Lord Buddha. This relic has travelled from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa and then to city of Kandy, where it is showcased to tourists till date.  This relic is an important part of Sri Lankan legacy and a must-see attraction for historical and pilgrimage travel packages. 

Sri Lanka tour packages can also include visits to other world heritage sites such as sacred city of Anuradhapura and Sacred city of Kandy. So what are you planning to do?

Author's Profile

Ninad Chaudhari works as a Web UI Designer / Developer with Cox & Kings. Ninad is an ardent photographer and he finds best deals of travel packages to pursue his passion. He visited Sri-lanka on a tour package and his albums are replete with pictures of this tour.


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