3 Ancient Kingdoms from Mount Lavinia

Mount Lavinia, located along the scenic coast of Sri Lanka, boasts golden sandy beaches and a rich colonial heritage. This charming suburb of Colombo offers a blend of modern amenities and historical landmarks, including the iconic Mount Lavinia Hotel, making it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

The kingdom of Dambadeniya was at its peak during the mid-thirteenth century, especially during the reign of King Parakramabahu II. He was a peaceful king who brought Sinhalese literature to new heights with his epic poetic masterpieces ‘Kavisilumina’ and ‘Visuddi Marga Sannasa’. You will get to see the recently excavated remains of the old Temple of the Tooth, where the Tooth Relic was housed previously, and the ruins of the royal palace complex with its gardens, walls and moats.

A royal residence in 13th century Yapahuwa was able to preserve some interesting remains. While many traces of other ancient defenses are still seen, an ornamental stairway remains as the main piece. Located in Kurunegala, belonging to the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, the Yapahuwa ancient fortress rises to a height of 90 m above the surrounding plains. Built by King Buwanekabahu the First, as the capital of Sri Lanka in 1301, today, the Royal residence, the Temple of Tooth Relic, the battle defenses are in ruins. The ruined walls of Yapahuwa form a rough semicircle. The ends join the foot of the high steepsided rocky granite outcrop. The outer fortification, an earthen rampart which extends to about a mile is about 20 feet in height. Over the rampart are the ruins of a brick wall that was erected to protect the interiors. Around the rampart was a moat.

The drive to your final destination, Panduwasnuwara, will take up to an hour and a half. The ancient city was one of the first kingdoms of Sri Lanka, having been the capital during the 5th century BC. The site was used much later in the 12th century as well, resulting in a mix of ruins from various periods. The ruins are spread over an area of almost 12 hectares. Some of the most notable sights are the recently restored monument that was the two storied former Temple of the Tooth, ruins of the royal palace and the artificial reservoir Panda Wewa that is considered one of the earliest irrigation systems ever made by man. You will also be visiting the museum of Panduwasnuwara, which has many archeological finds from excavations in the area. You will be spending an hour and a half in Panduwasnuwara.