Gal Vihara - "Save a Prayer" - Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
Posted by: 
Becktracker
N 07° 57.950 E 081° 00.305
44N E 500559 N 880520
Several of the scenes in the music video of Duran Duran were taken at the ancient city Pollonaruwa in Sri Lanka.
Waymark Code: WM15A61
Location: Sri Lanka
Date Posted: 11/20/2021
Views: 7
In the ancient city of Pollonaruwa there are several very large carved Buddha statues at the place called Gal Vihara. This was one of the sites featured in Duran Duran's music video of "Save a Prayer".
about Gal Vihara (source: (
visit link)
"The Gal Vihara, and originally as the Uttararama, is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. It was fashioned in the 12th century by Parakramabahu I. The central feature of the temple is four rock relief statues of the Buddha, which have been carved into the face of a large granitic (granite gneiss) rock. The images consist of a large seated figure, another smaller seated figure inside an artificial cavern, a standing figure and a reclining figure. These are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Sinhalese sculpting and carving arts, and have made the Gal Vihara the most visited monument at Polonnaruwa."
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