Ruins of the Jaffna Kingdom
Ruins of the Jaffna Kingdom refer to the remains of the remaining building structures of the Jaffna Kingdom, the royal abode and structure of the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Jaffna, Nallur, Jaffna in Northern Sri Lanka.
Mantri Manai or Residence of the Ministers among the ruins
Ruins of the foundation of the Cankilian Thoppu, which is away from the current Cankilian Thoppu, and considered as another facade of the palace.
Sangiliyan Statue
Cankili Thopu, facade of the palace
The Jaffna kingdom, also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, was a historical kingdom of what today is northern Sri Lanka. It came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula and was traditionally thought to have been established after the invasion of Kalinga Magha from Kalinga in India. Established as a powerful force in the north, northeast and west of the island, it eventually became a tribute-paying feudatory of the Pandyan Empire in modern South India in 1258, gaining independence when the last Pandyan ruler of Madurai was defeated and expelled in 1323 by Malik Kafur, the army general of the Delhi Sultanate. For a brief period in the early to mid-14th century it was an ascendant power in the island of Sri Lanka, to which all regional kingdoms accepted subordination. However, the kingdom was overpowered by the rival Kotte kingdom around 1450 when it was invaded by Prince Sapumal under the orders of Parakramabahu VI.
The royal family. First from the right is Cankili I
Mantri Manai – The surviving remains of the minister's quarters that was reused by the Portuguese and Dutch colonials
Nallur Kandaswamy temple – One of the royal temples of Nallur, the capital.
Yamun Eri filled with water from the Yamuna river.