Pollonaruwa

Polonnaruwa was the capital of the Sinhalese state in the Middle Ages. The remains of the royal palace, several houses for aristocrats and huts for the poor, the monastery of Alakhan Piriven with huge halls and even a stone pool have been preserved here.

The neat monks sat on the steps with their feet in the water and slowly washing off the dirt along with bad thoughts. And on the days of the full moon and new moon, they took the lotus position in a huge prayer hall and repeated the simple commandments of Buddhism: do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, do not commit adultery, do not drink ...
         
The most impressive sight in Polonnaruwa is Gal Vihara, the famous stone temple built in caves with four huge, surprisingly "living" Buddha statues carved right into the granite rock.