Yapahuwa

Snapshot

After the fall of the great city of Polonnaruwa, the Kandyan kings fled to a succession of inaccessible crags, bearing with them the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. One of them was Yapahuwa, a huge, yet little-visited rock fortress a little way off the Kurunegala-Anuradhapura road, and one of the great architectural sites of the island. This early 13th century stronghold is reminiscent of Sigiriya, a massive granite outcrop, set in a shady location, and rising 100m above the plains below. King Bhuvanekabahu I developed Yapahuwa, building a palace and a temple, which housed the famous tooth relic for 11 years. After Yapahuwa was abandoned, Buddhist monks took it over and still remain today. Yapahuwa is worthy of a visit as it is relatively quick to see, interesting and beautiful. Although not as significant as other Cultural Triangle sites it does have a special individual charm.