Yapahuwa lies in Sri Lanka's North-Western Province. For a short period in the second half of the 13th century it was the country's capital, but only ruins are left of the palace and fortress which once stood here.
The best preserved part of this ancient complex is the long staircase pictured below.
It actually consists of three separate sections. The middle set of steps is shown in the next photo.
When you have managed to get your breath back, you can tackle the last part - which leads to what remains of the palace.
Below is a view from the side.
There is a narrow path leading further up the hill and at the very top are remnants of an old stupa.
As it was a very humid day and the temperatures were in the mid-thirties centigrade, we decided to give that a miss. The entrance ticket had come with a free bottle of water and this was very welcome as we sat in the limited shade of the palace walls, taking in the views around us and across the plain below.
Below are a few photos of interesting sculptures from around the complex
Yapahuwa lies outside Sri Lanka's 'Cultural Triangle' of historic sights and receives relatively few visitors. The complete absence of tour buses, souvenir stalls, etc.—coupled with the remote jungle setting—gives this ancient site a very serene feel.
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