Medirigiriya vatadage and the lesser monuments north of Polonnaruwa worth seeking out for the quiet
I am hunting overlooked monuments everyone crowds Polonnaruwa but I read about the Medirigiriya vatadage a beautiful circular relic house on a rock north of Polonnaruwa and other lesser ancient sites in that area Is the Medirigiriya vatadage worth seeking out what is special about it (the columns the setting) and what other quiet ancient monuments are near how do I reach it from Polonnaruwa or Habarana and will I have it to myself History lovers please tell me about Medirigiriya and the overlooked sites
6 Answers from travellers
Heritage guide so the Medirigiriya picture a wonderful overlooked gem What it is the MEDIRIGIRIYA VATADAGE (north of Polonnaruwa) is one of the finest VATADAGE in the country a vatadage is a circular relic house a uniquely Sri Lankan structure a small dagoba (stupa) sheltered by concentric circles of stone COLUMNS once supporting a wooden and tiled roof with seated Buddha statues facing the cardinal directions Medirigiriya is special because it sits beautifully atop a ROCK outcrop reached by a stone stairway with its elegant rings of pillars and Buddhas in a serene elevated setting it is graceful harmonious and atmospheric (comparable in beauty to the famous Polonnaruva vatadage but FAR quieter) What is special the elegant concentric COLUMNS (dozens of stone pillars in rings) the four Buddhas the rock top SETTING and the SOLITUDE you get this masterpiece in peace unlike the busy Polonnaruwa Other lesser monuments nearby the area north and around Polonnaruwa has overlooked sites you may pair NAMAL POKUNA and lesser ruins the dry zone tanks and the general scattering of ancient remains (and Polonnaruwa itself for the famous cluster the Polonnaruwa threads if you have not done it) Medirigiriya is the star of the quiet ones How to reach it it is north of Polonnaruwa (near Hingurakgoda) so from POLONNARUWA or HABARANA (the cultural triangle hub) it is a reasonable drive (a side trip off the main circuit) a car or driver gets you there easily as it is off the main tourist route Will you have it to yourself LIKELY YES that is the joy Medirigiriya sees few visitors compared to the big sites so you can often enjoy this beautiful vatadage in near solitude a real reward for seeking it out June note the dry zone (cultural triangle) is reasonable in June (less hit by the southwest monsoon than the hills and southwest though there can be some rain) generally fine for sightseeing So yes seek out the MEDIRIGIRIYA VATADAGE a magnificent circular relic house of concentric stone columns and Buddhas on a rock north of Polonnaruwa as beautiful as the famous vatadage but gloriously quiet reach it as a side trip from Polonnaruwa or Habarana and enjoy this overlooked masterpiece in near solitude exactly the kind of monument the crowds miss
Pairing Medirigiriya with the famous Polonnaruwa gives you the best of both the grand busy ancient capital and then this exquisite quiet vatadage nearby where you can breathe it shows you the vatadage form in peace away from the crowds a perfect contrast
A magnificent circular relic house of concentric stone columns and Buddhas on a rock north of Polonnaruwa as beautiful as the famous vatadage but gloriously quiet reached as a side trip from Polonnaruwa or Habarana and enjoyed in near solitude this is exactly the overlooked monument I was hunting thank you
Climb up to it in the softer light of early morning or late afternoon the rings of pillars on the rock top catch the low sun beautifully and with hardly anyone there the serenity is profound it is one of those places where the quiet is as memorable as the architecture
Worth the small detour off the main circuit having a masterpiece almost to yourself is increasingly rare at the famous sites so these overlooked gems north of Polonnaruwa are where you find the peace and the wonder together do seek it out
The vatadage form is so distinctively Sri Lankan and seeing a superb example like Medirigiriya without the crowds really lets you appreciate the elegance of the concentric columns and the four Buddhas it is a quiet highlight of the cultural triangle for the curious
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