Ruins of Sathmahal Prasada, which means “seven-story temple”, was built in the 12th century by King Parakramabahu. Today, only six levels remain. The building is made of brick and plaster and has the same decoration of deities on all four sides. There’s also an entrance on each side and a staircase to reach the upper levels. […]
About dawn
Dawn Spaulding is a writer and photographer who lives in Luxembourg and New York City with her husband, Angelo.
Polonnaruwa: Raja Vaishyabhuganga (Council Chamber)
The Council Chamber, or Raja Vaishyabhuganga, was where the king met with his ministers and officials. The wooden roof has long disappeared, but the elaborate base and carved pillars survive. Friezes of elephants, lions and dwarfs cover the base. Steps are embellished with makara (these look like mythical dragons) balustrades, a pair of moonstones and […]
Polonnaruwa: Gal Pota
Gal Pota, or Stone Book, is an long granite carving of a palm leaf book that was used to record Buddhist texts and royal genealogies. However this slab praises the works of King #2, Nissankamalla, a Tamil prince from India who married into the Sinhalese nobility. He is the third Polonnaruwan king. The inscription is […]
Polonnaruwa: Vatadage
The Vatadage consists of a central shrine and dagoba, which is now missing its wooden roof, enclosed by a brick wall. Four sets of steps lead to the terrace. Two stone platforms are decorated with stone carvings. The lower one is accessed through a single entrance and the raised one is accessed through four doorways […]
Polonnaruwa: Vijayanta Prasada
Vijayanta Prasada is the first ruins after entering the grounds. This was the royal palace, built by King Parakramabahu I in the 12th Century. In its heyday, the palace stood seven stories tall and contained 1,000 rooms. Construction took a little over seven years. It was destroyed by South Indian invaders in the 13th century. Burned bricks […]
Polonnaruwa: Thuparama Gedige
The Thuparama Gedige is the smallest gedige (hollow Buddhist temple with thick walls) in Polonnaruwa. This has stood the test of time, as proven by the intact roof. Four standing Bodhisattva statues adorn the interior.
Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights
This winter was the peak of the 11-year solar cycle, the period during which the sun produces sunspots and solar storms, resulting in high auroral activity. Since there’s nowhere better to view the aurora borealis than Lapland, my husband and I stocked up on extreme cold-weather gear and headed north. Way north. We were prepared […]
Icehotel, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
Since we were sort of in the area, of course we had to spend a night at the original Icehotel in Sweden. If you’ve never heard of the Icehotel, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a hotel built of ice (well, ice and snow). Each year, the hotel is built anew. It takes three months […]
STF Mountain Station Abisko and Aurora Sky Station
Abisko, Sweden is located 195 km north of the Arctic Circle in the middle of the auroral zone and is considered the best place to see the Aurora Borealis. It’s in the middle of nowhere, so the air is clear and there’s limited artificial lights. Additionally, the sky is typically free of clouds, thanks to […]
Tromso, Norway
When my husband and I decided to head to Lapland, Tromso seemed like a good start- and end-point. It is in the middle of the Aurora Borealis zone, there were regular flights to and from Oslo and it was large enough to comfortably spend a few days in the Polar Night, which is the period […]
