Gal Vihara ( stone temple) Thervada Buddhist Temple at Polonnaruwa (UNESCO World Heritage Site),Sri Lanka with three Buddha Statues of heroic proportions and a smaller image having a touch of Mahayana Buddhist influence, is the most perfect specimen of Buddha statues hewn out of solid granite in Sri Lanka.
The Polonnaruwa Vatadage (Sinhala: පොළොන්නරුව වටදාගේ) is an ancient structure dating back to the Polonnaruwa period of Sri Lanka. It is believed to have been built during the reign of Parakramabahu I to hold the tooth relic of the Buddha, or during the reign of Nissanka Malla to hold the alms bowl used by the Buddha. Both these venerated relics would have given the structure a great significance and importance at the time.
Vatadage at medirigiriya surpasses all the others in archaeological,architechtural and religious merit.Rajarata which was deserted in dry zone forest after the devastation of kalingamagha,was again discovered by bell.In his report in 1897 he describes vatadage as the most remarkable architectural monument to be seen at polonnaruva.
Lankatilaka Vihara is one of the most emblematic structures of the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Two great walls, each with a thickness of 4m & height of 17m form a narrow aisle leading to a very impressive, though now sadly headless Buddha statue still standing, over 14m high. Built by King Parakrabahu the great, the shrine is a definite deviation in terms of Buddhist architecture.