The Sea of Parakrama is the great reservoir on the western edge of Polonnaruwa, built by King Parakramabahu I in the twelfth century by combining several smaller tanks. Twenty-five square kilometres of water, held back by a 14-kilometre earth dam, it irrigated the rice paddies that fed the medieval capital and still supports agriculture today.
Sunset over the reservoir, with the silhouettes of fishermen and the occasional egret, is one of the most evocative sights in Sri Lanka. The cycling track around the southern edge of the bund is excellent, especially at dawn when the mist rises off the water. The statue of Parakramabahu I — a likely portrait of the king — stands on the western bank above the dam.