Panduwasnuwara Kingdom
Panduwasnuwara Kingdom
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
16 reviews
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11
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3
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Vimukthi
2 contributions
Aug 2019 • Friends
U must visit there. so many old stores behind eveyting. U must read or llisten all stores.example ummada chitra.i recommend
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SEs
London, UK25,876 contributions
Dec 2019 • Friends
This is a popular place to visit during holidays by the locals and crowded. You need about 2 hours here. The ruins are protected. There are toilets.
Written 31 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sherry_dissa
Colombo, Sri Lanka616 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
This is a first kingdom of historical sri lanka who buit by king pandhukabhaya.thats a most beautiful place of lot of ruins of place,catsle areas and also temples.
Written 1 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard H
Bath, UK1,133 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
Worth a visit if you're interested in historical places. There's not much information on site. The museum is closed on Sunday.
Written 7 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prasunmed
194 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
Panduwasnuwara Kingdom is a kingdom where king Pandukabaya controlled. There are many of tales behind this kingdom. One is "Unmada chithra and Deega gamini " story. One girl was there who was in locked room with big protection. Because if she get child he will be the king. But anyway she got child from Deega Gamini.If you visit this place still you can see this jail where she was locked.
This kingdom was with big protection. You can see that old protection methods. Big area in this kingdom. So if you visit there you may spend about 2-3 hours. If you are history lover this is one of the must visit place.
Washroom facilities available. Parking space available. But weekend this place is busy. Specially on sundays and full moon poya days.
If you visit by public transport you can come till Narammala by colombo - Kurunegala No 5 bus and you can get bus to this place from Narammala bus stand. You have to take Hettipola bus via Mawiela. Get someone's help to find it.
This kingdom was with big protection. You can see that old protection methods. Big area in this kingdom. So if you visit there you may spend about 2-3 hours. If you are history lover this is one of the must visit place.
Washroom facilities available. Parking space available. But weekend this place is busy. Specially on sundays and full moon poya days.
If you visit by public transport you can come till Narammala by colombo - Kurunegala No 5 bus and you can get bus to this place from Narammala bus stand. You have to take Hettipola bus via Mawiela. Get someone's help to find it.
Written 11 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sherry_dissa
Colombo, Sri Lanka616 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
There are very very ancient ruins and also very beautiful nature touch you can reach at there very easly.
Written 28 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pivi b
Sri Lanka55 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
When I was a little child first I visited this place.Few days ago I went there with a group of friends.What an ancient place.Lots of stories buried in the soil of that land.
Written 24 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seevali D
Colombo, Sri Lanka8,680 contributions
Jan 2018 • Friends
My wife and I made a detour to Hettipola on our way back from Kurunegala to Colombo on 6th January 2018 to visit Panduwasnuwara about which we had heard so much. We arrived here very early in the morning even before the Department of Archaeology opened their offices. A lady who was making hoppers in a little shop directed us towards the entrance to the 20 hectare area where the palace ruins are located. There were no security at the entrance nor within the areas where there were ruins.
There is only one entrance to the palace area. The entrance is protected with a pole across to prevent vehicles moving in. The first thing we noticed were the 5 – 6 metre wide moat and the wide embankment wall about 1.8 metre high surrounding the 20 hectare palace grounds. On the inner side of the entrance are ruins of guard rooms. The moat of course, though dry in some areas today, would have been filled with water to protect the palace grounds. Historically these and the palace buildings date back to the 12th century.
Once you enter, your eyes draw you to the palace complex situated in the middle of this vast 20 Hectare compound. I imagined myself to be the ancient king, for about an hour, walking through my palace. To enter the palace, you climb 5 steps into the courtyard and walk towards the king’s residential palace. Almost at the very entrance to the palace is an inscription on a stone slab protected by a roof on four wooden pillars! Within the large area occupied by my palace, are many rooms for the royal family as well as many store rooms too. There is a considerable area reserved for the throne (though the throne itself is non-existent now), and I could not help imagining myself being seated on the throne here while receiving VIP guests. The palace compound has a kitchen and a toilet (protected with iron railings). The toilet is special, with the basin made of a kind of cement resembling the colour of modern cement. The unclean water flowing through a gutter is collected outside the building in a pit made with brick and clay with layers of minerals to prevent polluting the environment. The pond adjacent to the palace would have had clean water for bathing. There is also an adjacent separate palace for the Queen mother. There are also number of other smaller buildings associated with the needs of the palace as well as carved pillars and guard stones.
After exiting the palace compounds we toured around the 12th century monastery complex, situated quite close by, consisting of stupas, accommodation for monks, assembly halls, image houses (pilimage), ruins of protective wall for bo tree (bodhighara), and a preaching pavilion (dharma mandapa) on a large ground where the devotees would listen. Of importance at the very entrance to this area is an inscription on stone written in Tamil.
Another important ruin is the “chakrawalaya”, foundation of the ruins of a circular building, believed to have included several stories. This circular foundation is in the middle of a wide bund or a rampart, about 50 metres in diameter, around which is a moat that would have been filled with water in the ancient times. Though the purpose of this circular building has not been established archaeologically there is an interesting legend associated with it.
“Chitra was the youngest of a family of 11 and the only girl. She grew up to be so pretty that people who saw her desired her at mere sight. Astrologers to the king predicted that if she were to bear a son, he would kill all 10 brothers to become the king. So after she grew up, the brothers imprisoned her in a building on a tower (believed to be this chakrawalaya) being guarded day and night. This could not stop her having a relationship with a prince and becoming pregnant. When the baby boy was born they substituted a new born girl and the boy sent to a village for protection. Eventually the prophesy came true and he killed all his uncles to become one of the great kings of sri lanka who united the country under his rule. This is the Rapunzel story from Sri Lanka.
NO fees are charged for entry. Though this is off the beaten tourist track, it is an important part of a short period in Sri Lankan history. If you contact the archaeology offices nearby, they will give you a guided tour at no cost. You may tip the guide if you wish to. The archaeological excavations are not over yet and are continuing under the Department of Archaeology with the assistance of archaeology associated post graduate students from various universities.
There is only one entrance to the palace area. The entrance is protected with a pole across to prevent vehicles moving in. The first thing we noticed were the 5 – 6 metre wide moat and the wide embankment wall about 1.8 metre high surrounding the 20 hectare palace grounds. On the inner side of the entrance are ruins of guard rooms. The moat of course, though dry in some areas today, would have been filled with water to protect the palace grounds. Historically these and the palace buildings date back to the 12th century.
Once you enter, your eyes draw you to the palace complex situated in the middle of this vast 20 Hectare compound. I imagined myself to be the ancient king, for about an hour, walking through my palace. To enter the palace, you climb 5 steps into the courtyard and walk towards the king’s residential palace. Almost at the very entrance to the palace is an inscription on a stone slab protected by a roof on four wooden pillars! Within the large area occupied by my palace, are many rooms for the royal family as well as many store rooms too. There is a considerable area reserved for the throne (though the throne itself is non-existent now), and I could not help imagining myself being seated on the throne here while receiving VIP guests. The palace compound has a kitchen and a toilet (protected with iron railings). The toilet is special, with the basin made of a kind of cement resembling the colour of modern cement. The unclean water flowing through a gutter is collected outside the building in a pit made with brick and clay with layers of minerals to prevent polluting the environment. The pond adjacent to the palace would have had clean water for bathing. There is also an adjacent separate palace for the Queen mother. There are also number of other smaller buildings associated with the needs of the palace as well as carved pillars and guard stones.
After exiting the palace compounds we toured around the 12th century monastery complex, situated quite close by, consisting of stupas, accommodation for monks, assembly halls, image houses (pilimage), ruins of protective wall for bo tree (bodhighara), and a preaching pavilion (dharma mandapa) on a large ground where the devotees would listen. Of importance at the very entrance to this area is an inscription on stone written in Tamil.
Another important ruin is the “chakrawalaya”, foundation of the ruins of a circular building, believed to have included several stories. This circular foundation is in the middle of a wide bund or a rampart, about 50 metres in diameter, around which is a moat that would have been filled with water in the ancient times. Though the purpose of this circular building has not been established archaeologically there is an interesting legend associated with it.
“Chitra was the youngest of a family of 11 and the only girl. She grew up to be so pretty that people who saw her desired her at mere sight. Astrologers to the king predicted that if she were to bear a son, he would kill all 10 brothers to become the king. So after she grew up, the brothers imprisoned her in a building on a tower (believed to be this chakrawalaya) being guarded day and night. This could not stop her having a relationship with a prince and becoming pregnant. When the baby boy was born they substituted a new born girl and the boy sent to a village for protection. Eventually the prophesy came true and he killed all his uncles to become one of the great kings of sri lanka who united the country under his rule. This is the Rapunzel story from Sri Lanka.
NO fees are charged for entry. Though this is off the beaten tourist track, it is an important part of a short period in Sri Lankan history. If you contact the archaeology offices nearby, they will give you a guided tour at no cost. You may tip the guide if you wish to. The archaeological excavations are not over yet and are continuing under the Department of Archaeology with the assistance of archaeology associated post graduate students from various universities.
Written 26 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nimal D
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka112 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
I was bone close to this place and native to this area. This is not a popular site as Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. According to the archeological evidences it belongs to the 12th Century but as the rural villagers, all of them believe that it was so old and runs back to 505 to 474 BC the king Panduwasa deva. Famous Unmada Chitra was imprisoned here according to the fabricated stories we learnt. But that cannot be true. These ruins of the kingdom are nicely restored and labeled. During the Main poya days villagers in all nearby areas visit this site as a tradition mainly for fun and relaxation. That was a regular annual event of almost all families long years back.
Any way, you should visit this place once as a study visit as well as for fun.
It is also believed that the remains of king Vijaya are deposited at the top of the tallest mountain located about 4-5 km away from this site. That has also been restored and visiting that place is a nice hike. Very nice weather and search for "Dematawa Kanda or Medagama Kanda" . Both are the same and it is bound to both villages and both names are used. It is a reserved forest, the top is a virgin forest.
Any way, you should visit this place once as a study visit as well as for fun.
It is also believed that the remains of king Vijaya are deposited at the top of the tallest mountain located about 4-5 km away from this site. That has also been restored and visiting that place is a nice hike. Very nice weather and search for "Dematawa Kanda or Medagama Kanda" . Both are the same and it is bound to both villages and both names are used. It is a reserved forest, the top is a virgin forest.
Written 29 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max J
Colombo, Sri Lanka319 contributions
Sep 2017 • Friends
The ruins of the ancient kingdom (1100-1300 AD), the palace and temples, are spread over a vast area. Be prepared to walk if you want to see all. One of the sites is believed to be where the Princess Unmada Chitra was imprisoned on a tall tower (like Rapunzel ?). It's a pity that most archaeological sites in Sri Lanka lack proper toilet facilities with commodes (and not squatting pans) for tourists, and here was no exception.
Written 3 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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