YAPAHUWA ROCK FORTRESS

Located halfway between Kurunegala and Anuradhapura, Yapahuwa was the capital of Sri Lanka in the late 13th century. The fortress is built on a rocky outcrop 90 m above the surrounding plain. It is often compared, on a smaller scale, to the Lion Rock of Sigiriya.

Yapahuwa is the work of King Bhuvanekabahu who, in 1273, in order to face the Dravidian invasions from the south of India, decided to make it the capital of the kingdom (until then Polonnaruwa) and to transfer there the sacred relic of the Tooth. When Bhuvanekabahu died in 1284 and the invaders succeeded in seizing the relic, Yapahuwa was gradually abandoned and became a refuge for Buddhist monks. The relic was taken back in 1288 by Parakramabahu III, who temporarily moved it to Polonnaruwa.

Among the many remains still visible at Yapahuwa, the monumental staircase leading to the platform where the Temple of the Tooth stood is the greatest jewel. At the top of the rock are the remains of a stupa, an enclosure for a Bo tree and a rock shelter used by the monks. Several other cavities are visible at the base of the rock. One of them is a shrine dedicated to Buddha. Another contains an inscription in Brahmi. To the south are the remains of a fortification and a number of buildings. Nearby, a Buddhist temple called Yapawwa Rajamaha Vihara, built during the Kandy period, can be visited on request as well as a museum.