I never realized how close I lived to history - that only 2 hours away there lay a hidden kingdom. Taking the route I would normally take to Kurunegala, Yapahuwa lies between Kurunegala and Anuradhapura in the Wayamba province.
When we reached the place (on a Saturday), it was full of people - of all ages - but the crowds could not steal the beauty of the palace that stood in front of us. It reminded me a little of Sigiriya. The style and shape of this hidden Kingdom takes you away to a different era and the appreciation of the great kings and engineers of our little island only grew stronger in my mind. Climbing the great stairway which was almost a vertical climb up - was indeed a challenge, but once at the top it was worth the climb. The pillars still stood tall, endowed with art chiseled into the stone pillars and I can only imagine what it must have looked like back in the day.If you dare to climb further upwards, through a narrow path covered in bush, you would meet a clearing and the view is simply amazing.
Yapahuwa served as the capital of Sri Lanka in the latter part of the 13th century (1273–1284). and was a palace and military stronghold against foreign invaders. The palace and fortress were built by King Buvanekabahu I (1272–1284) in the year 1273.
Unfortunately as always, not everyone there seemed to appreciate the grandeur around them as they stood / ran and threw garbage around the relics.
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