The Gal Vihara, at the northern end of the Polonnaruwa site, is the artistic highlight of the entire Cultural Triangle. Four colossal Buddha images are carved out of a single granite outcrop: a 14-metre reclining Buddha entering parinirvana, a 7-metre standing figure (possibly his disciple Ananda mourning), a seated meditating Buddha, and a smaller image inside a carved niche.
The carving is twelfth-century, attributed to the reign of Parakramabahu I, and the technical command is astonishing — the lines of the reclining figure's robe seem to flow over the stone like cloth. Visit early or late to avoid the heat reflected off the rock face, and remove your shoes and hat as you approach.