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Sigiriya: Ancient Sri Lankan Rock Fortress

Sigiriya, located in Sri Lanka's Central Province, is renowned for its ancient palace ruins atop a 200-meter rock and its unique frescoes. Built by King Kasyapa, the site served as a royal capital before becoming a Buddhist monastery after his defeat in 495 CE. Today, only the foundations of the palace remain, and visitors are restricted from photographing the frescoes.

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3 views1 page

Sigiriya: Ancient Sri Lankan Rock Fortress

Sigiriya, located in Sri Lanka's Central Province, is renowned for its ancient palace ruins atop a 200-meter rock and its unique frescoes. Built by King Kasyapa, the site served as a royal capital before becoming a Buddhist monastery after his defeat in 495 CE. Today, only the foundations of the palace remain, and visitors are restricted from photographing the frescoes.

Uploaded by

dshendavitharana
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Sigiriya

Sigiriya is located in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It
is located within the cultural triangle formed by Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and
Kandy, which includes five of the eight world heritage sites in Sri Lanka.
Sigiriya is famous for its palace ruins on top of a 200 meter high rock
surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and
other structures. The rock itself is a lava plug left over from an ancient long
extinct volcano. It is also renowned for its ancient paintings, which are similar to
those found at Ajanta Caves in India. It is generally agreed, however, that the
Sigiriya Frescoes exhibit a uniquely Sri Lankan style.
The complex surrounding the famous rock was built by King Kasyapa, who had
seized power from the rightful heir, Moggallana, who fled to South India.
Fearing an attack from Moggallana, Kashyapa moved the capital and his
residence from the traditional capital of Anuradhapura to the more secure
Sigiriya. Most of the elaborate constructions on the rock summit and around it,
including defensive structures, palaces, and gardens, date back to this period.
Kashyapa was defeated in 495 CE by Moggallana, who moved the capital again
to Anuradhapura. Sigiriya was then turned back into a Buddhist monastery,
which lasted until the 13th or 14th century.
Understand also that, even though Sigiriya is maybe the most famous tourist
attraction in Sri Lanka, and must have been a truly amazing place in the past,
right now the ruins are only the two-brick-tall foundations of the palace walls;
absolutely nothing remains standing. You are not allowed to take pictures of the
frescoes, which are the most interesting part of the visit. The "mirror wall" is
barely shiny in just two small spots, and apart from the ones near the beginning,
the graffiti are just modern vandalization scratches on the wall.

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