Yapahuwa

  The rock fortress complex Yapahuwa is another of the north-Western Province’s star attractions. A citadel built on a huge rock boulder in the style of the fifth century Sigiriya rock fortress, Yapahuwa was a military stronghold against foreign invaders for many years and a beautiful royal capital in the last quarter of the thirteenth century. Well defended, with double ramparts  and moats, Yapahuwa holds many delights for sightseers. These include the remains of the king’s palace, royal audience hall and other stately structures, shrines and baths. Surpassing all these however are the remains of the Temple of the Tooth-protecting and properly housing the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, the symbol of kingship, was a prime royal duty in Sri Lanka. The majestic stairway is flanked by a pair of beautifully sculptured guardian lions, mythical animal and guardstones. The beautifully proportioned doorway of dressed stone was originally adorend by two windows of delicate stone filigree and graceful sculptures of dancing girls. Animals and decorative motifs. The base of the entrance pillars is momentum with exquisite bas-relief friezes of dancers, drummers and acrobats, masterpieces in stone, of incredible delicacy and elegance.

           A collection of fascinating antiquities including an exquisite stone figure of God Vishnu, on the stone filigree windows from the Temple of the Tooth and a collection of Chinese pottery are on view at the Archaeological museum on the same site. The Yapahuwa Rock Temple which is built into the boulder, has a  century bronze Buddha and some ancient wall paintings and sculptures. Yapahuwa is easily accessible by road and rail, a distance of approximately 45 km, from Kurunegala.