Minneriya National Park
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.
- Where
- Minneriya, North Central Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 7.9789, 80.8489
Get the Minneriya National Park stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Minneriya National Park. 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 Minneriya National Park
Pidurangala Rock 9.6 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.
Sigiriya 10 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.
Parakrama Samudra 16 km
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.
Polonnaruwa Vatadage 17 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 17 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 17 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 17 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.
Kaudulla National Park 21 km
A park around the Kaudulla tank, declared in 2002 as the 15th national park on the island. With Minneriya and Girithale it forms an Important Bird Area, and elephants come to graze at the water's edge.
More hidden gems in North Central Province
Questions
Where is Minneriya National Park?
Minneriya National Park is in Minneriya, North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Pidurangala Rock (9.6 km), Sigiriya (10 km), Parakrama Samudra (16 km).
How do I get the Minneriya National Park stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Minneriya National Park 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 Minneriya National Park 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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