Rankoth Vehera

Its brick dome is still used for active worship, with monks and local devotees visiting alongside tourists. The scale only becomes clear once you're standing at its base. It is at Polonnaruwa New Town, close to the other main sights. At 30-45 minutes, it works well slotted between larger visits rather than as a standalone destination.

You walk across a wide sand-covered platform toward a bell-shaped brick mound that blocks out the sky as you near its base, with small shrine buildings scattered around the perimeter.

It's the largest structure on the site and gives a sense of the scale of Parakramabahu's and Nissanka Malla's building ambitions. It is not the first thing you should see in Polonnaruwa, but with two or more days it fills a gap the major sights leave. It pairs naturally with Lankatilaka And Tivanka Image House and Gal Vihara - add it before or after without rearranging your day. Afternoon tends to work best here.

The nearest area to base yourself is Polonnaruwa New Town. It is one entry in our list of things to do in Polonnaruwa. The Polonnaruwa guide covers transport, costs and when to go.

We plan trips to Polonnaruwa and the rest of Sri Lanka. Tell us your dates and we will put a route together. Our routes are on the tours page.