Polonnaruwa is a medieval city in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka. and provides some of the best-preserved ruins in that remarkable country. The most striking attraction in this city is the Gal Vihara, a superbly detailed group of 3 large Buddha carvings which includes a standing figure (7 m high), a sitting figure, and a reclining figure (14 m long) lying on a pillow; you can see two of these depicted in this photo. Crafted in the 12th century, they are carved from a single huge piece of granite (like Mt. Rushmore but on a smaller scale). At one time these carvings were part of a Buddhist monastery but now they are open to all to study and enjoy.
For a list of DrFumblefingers blog posts on Sri Lanka, please click on this link.
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