Parakrama Samudra
A vast, shallow reservoir beside Polonnaruwa, made of five separate tanks joined by narrow channels. It takes its name, the sea of Parakrama, from King Parakramabahu I, who built it.
- Where
- Polonnaruwa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 7.9000, 80.9667
Get the Parakrama Samudra stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Parakrama Samudra. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your North Central Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Parakrama Samudra
Polonnaruwa Vatadage 6.5 km
A circular relic house in ancient Polonnaruwa, the best preserved of its kind in the country. It was built either by Parakramabahu I for the Tooth Relic or by Nissanka Malla for the Buddha's alms bowl, and four seated Buddhas face its four entrances.
Hatadage 6.5 km
A relic shrine built by King Nissanka Malla to hold the Tooth Relic of the Buddha, in the sacred quadrangle of Polonnaruwa. Only its brick and stone walls survive, and in a chamber inside stand three Buddhas carved from granite.
Rankoth Vehera 7.6 km
A large stupa built by King Nissanka Malla, who ruled from 1187 to 1196, closely modelled on the Ruwanweli stupa of Anuradhapura. Its name means gold pinnacled stupa, and with the Kiri Vehera it is one of the two most revered in Polonnaruwa.
Gal Vihara 8.5 km
Four Buddhas cut into one granite rock face for King Parakramabahu I in the 12th century: a large seated figure, a smaller one in a carved cave, a standing figure and a reclining one. They are among the finest works of ancient Sinhalese sculpture and the most visited sight in Polonnaruwa.
Minneriya National Park 16 km
A park around the ancient Minneriya tank, built by King Mahasen in the 3rd century AD. In the dry season elephants from the forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee gather on its shrinking shores to feed.
Sigiriya 24 km
A granite column about 180 metres high rising out of the plain near Dambulla, crowned with the ruins of a 5th century royal citadel. Climbers pass painted frescoes and the polished Mirror Wall, then a pair of giant lion's paws, before the last stairs to the summit.
Pidurangala Rock 24 km
An ancient Buddhist temple on a rock about 1 km north of Sigiriya. The path climbs past the temple and a reclining Buddha to a bare summit with the best view of Sigiriya itself, which makes it a favourite climb at sunrise.
Medirigiriya Vatadage 29 km
A circular relic house on a rock in the village of Medirigiriya, north of Polonnaruwa, with rings of slender stone pillars around a central stupa. It is protected by the government as an archaeological monument.
More hidden gems in North Central Province
Questions
Where is Parakrama Samudra?
Parakrama Samudra is in Polonnaruwa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Polonnaruwa Vatadage (6.5 km), Hatadage (6.5 km), Rankoth Vehera (7.6 km).
How do I get the Parakrama Samudra stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Parakrama Samudra and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your North Central Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Parakrama Samudra before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your North Central Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
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