Sri Lanka is home to one of the oldest civilizations and has a rich cultural heritage that spans over thousands of years, and the best way to experience the islands rich cultural history is on a tour of the “Cultural Triangle”. The Cultural triangle covers an extensive area which includes World Heritage sites such as the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress to name a few.
Most of the sites are located in the central part of the island, away from the big, modernised cities in Sri Lanka. Hotels are aplenty and finding a good one is a must if you’re going to enjoy a tour of the triangle. There are plenty of good hotels near the Sigiriya like the Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts for instance. You can check with the hotel if there are excursion packages to the cultural sites or even go on your own if you get a trusted guide.
The ancient city of Anuradhapura is the biggest of the ancient cities and a World Heritage site. It was the capital city of Sri Lanka for over 1300 years up to the 10th Century AD. Today, impressive ruins and monuments are all that’s left of one of Asia’s greatest cities. The Archeological museum, Royal Palace, Samadhi Buddha, Kuttam Pokuna are just a few places among many to see. The Polonnaruwa ancient city, a World Heritage site, was the capital between 11th – 13th centuries and is considered by many as one of the best archaeological sites in the country. The city contains several remarkable statues and palaces worth seeing.
The Sigiriya Rock Fortress was built to protect a palace constructed on the summit of a 500ft high rock by King Kassyappa. What remains today are the moats, pleasure gardens and foundations of the palace along with hand painted frescoes of the Sigirya damsels. A trip to Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle is definitely worth it if you want to get an insight into the country’s great history and view spectacular relics of old.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+
