Sigiriya city. Sigiriya - Sri Lanka. Sigiriya - residence of Kassapa I

The ruins of an ancient city on the peak of Mount Sigiriya are rightfully considered the eighth wonder of the world. A plateau in the form of a Lion, the ruined fortress of King Kassapa, rock frescoes and centuries-old poems. Read an overview of Sigiriya, as well as attractions in the area.

— detailed route of buses, trains, taxis from different points of the island.

Mount Sigiriya - The Eighth Wonder of the World on the island of Sri Lanka

8 Wonder of the World Sigiriya is an ancient city on the island of Ceylon and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. Mount Sigiriya is a rocky plateau, also called Lion Mountain or Rock, that rises 370 meters above sea level! At the top of the plateau are the remains of the city, as well as the ruins of an ancient fortress and palace, built (according to one version) during the reign of King Kashyapa (479-495).

The city of Sigiriya and Mount Sigiriya of the same name in Sri Lanka are included in the UNESCO heritage list.

Ancient fortress and palace of Sigiriya

The palace was built on the highest point of the mountain: a luxurious structure surrounded by fountains (one of the first in the world!), swimming pools and beautiful gardens. Inside the castle there is a magnificent gallery with frescoes depicting the king's concubines, as well as a hall of mirrors - this was one of the most unusual and rich buildings of that time.

Some documents that have survived to this day say that the façade of the palace was decorated with gold and precious stones. Unfortunately, confirmation of such luxury remains only on paper, but today you can see with your own eyes 18 surviving frescoes, of which there were originally about 500!

Sigiriya Rock - a plateau in the shape of a Lion

The uniqueness of Sigiriya lies not only in the ruins of the fortress and wall paintings, but also in the animal image that represents the stone. Powerful paws carved from a monolith are a stunning sight.

The paws are the main part on which the image of a wild cat is compiled; there is no other evidence, indirect or direct. Legend has it that the rock was previously decorated with a lion's head, which, over time, collapsed. In fact, the “Lion” can turn out to be any wild animal or even a mythical animal or half-man. Some tourists claim that the structure of the brick creates the outline of a giant reptile.

Frescoes and poems on the rock. History of Lion Mountain

According to one version, the palace and fortress on Lion Mountain were created by order of King Kassapa, who erected this structure as protection from his pursuers - his brother and other family members. To gain power over the island, Kashyapa killed his father, and then, fearing revenge, started large-scale construction. It is difficult to imagine a more comfortable, protected and beautiful place for the new king to live. According to the same version, the frescoes decorating the walls of the stone are images of concubines and dancers with whom Kassapa spent his leisure time.

However, historian De Silva, who has deeply studied the issue of creating the frescoes, suggests that Mount Sigiriya was never the residence of the new king, according to the historian - there was a monastery of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism here. The women depicted in the painting are not related to Kassapa’s harem; perhaps the goddess Tara was depicted there, who appears before us in the form of different girls. Goddess Tara can have different skin colors: white, blue, red, green or yellow, which tells us about the different manifestations of the deity.

In addition to the frescoes, poems and poems dedicated to female beauty are scratched on the rocks. The rock writings are often called "Sigiriya Graffiti" and are some of the oldest texts written in the Sinhala language.

Climbing and how long to climb. How many steps?

The narrow staircase leading up to the rocky plateau can be a difficult part of the hike for older people or children. Especially in the heat. The long staircase and many steps make for an interesting but tiring walk. To enjoy the climb, you should arrive early in the morning, 2-4 hours before the heat sets in: during the day, with every passing hour, the stones get hotter and hotter, which makes trekking much less enjoyable. Tourists should not forget to wear comfortable shoes and long clothes that cover their shoulders and legs from the scorching sun. The headdress is also important.

The ascent conventionally consists of 3 parts: first a hall with frescoes, then a hall of mirrors, after which the actual ascent up to the top at the lion’s paws. Both during the ascent and at the peak there are impressive views of the mountains and jungle. In addition to the beauty of ancient architecture, unique wall paintings and tropical vegetation, tourists are impressed by the exotic animals found everywhere along the way - wild monkeys, bees, parrots, colorful birds, monitor lizards, chipmunks and large squirrels.

Many people are interested in the question how many steps are there on Lion Mountain?

Guests of the attraction will have to climb 1,200 steps up, and then the same number on the way back, to see the eighth wonder of the world with their own eyes.

Ticket price. Working hours

The price of tickets will seem overpriced to many, although this opinion usually changes in the opposite direction after getting to know the attraction.

Finding a free entrance is not possible.

Opening hours - from 7-00 to 17:30 (at 18:30 the sun sets). It’s better to come early to buy tickets before others and be one of the first to start climbing. How long does it take to climb? – Depends on the season, number of people, weather and sports training.

Sights of Sigiriya. What else to see?

In and around the central province of Sri Lanka, Mount Sigiriya is not the only attraction; there are other interesting places. Pagoda, museum, national park (safari and wildlife excursion), souvenir shops, tea shops, shops with silk, paintings, wooden crafts. Local markets and cafes with national food are of particular interest.

Dambulla Cave Temple - a cultural heritage monument

Dambulla is a city in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, located near Sigiriya: there is a well-developed transport infrastructure - Dambulla serves as a “transshipment point” between other villages on the way to the “eighth wonder of the world”.

The Golden Temple of Dambulla is located 16 km from Sigiriya. The cave sanctuary has been on the UNESCO heritage list since 1991. In total, the complex has 80 caves, of which the most popular are 5, where both tourists and pilgrims come from all over the world.

The temple is functioning - everyone can visit the sacred place.

The first mention of the caves dates back to the 1st century BC. The rock is divided into 5 main (large) caves, inside of which: a stupa, sculptures of a sitting Buddha, paintings dedicated to the life and teachings of the Buddha, and on the ceiling and walls there are images of Bodhisattvas and other deities. In addition, about 25 cells in which the monks lived have been preserved.

Why is it interesting to visit this place? Dambulla Temple is the largest Buddhist rock temple in South Asia. A place with a long history! In the man-made caves, about 150 statues dedicated to Buddha (3 statues over 2000 years old), 3 statues of the island’s reigning kings, 4 statues of gods and goddesses are on display, in addition to rock frescoes that occupy an area of ​​2100 sq.m.! Of the 153 sculptures, 73 are covered with gold. The Golden Temple is the history of the island, a monument of cultural heritage.

Minneriya National Park. Safari and wild animals

20 km from the fortress on Lion Rock (as the main landmark), a natural and protected area has grown - the Minneriya Tusker Safaris National Park, as well as the large Minneriya-Ueva reservoir. During periods of drought, a large number of different animals come to the reservoir in search of water and greenery. Most of them are elephants. Sometimes 150-200 individuals come to drink!

In addition to the forest giants, the jungles of the park are home to rare species of animals, birds and insects that are endangered: the red-faced gulman, the Ceylon macaque, the sloth monkey, the Sri Lankan leopard and others. Minneriya is one of the few areas where gray slender lorises (primates from the Loris family) live.

During a safari (jeep excursion around the park), you can see not only elephants and monkeys, of which there are already a lot on the island, but also deer, buffalo, leopards, crocodiles, Indian python and rare species of monitor lizards!

Pidurangala Rock

Pidurangala Rock is located 15 minutes from Mount Sigiriya - a little lower in height, and a less popular place among tourists. Pidurangala Rock attracts with its beautiful view of the hills and plains that are lost in the clouds. Lion Rock is visible from the top of Pidurangala.

Pristine nature and a small number of tourists make this place suitable for meditation and peace. During the ascent, there are rock writings, as well as a statue of a reclining Buddha.

The ticket costs 500 rupees. Lifting time is 30-40 minutes.

Ancient city of Polonnaruwa

27 km from Sigiriya you can find the ruins of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa - formerly the capital of the Sinhala and Chola kingdoms, is now an architectural landmark, a historical place for excursions and walks.

In the city you can visit the Hall of the Council of Ministers, the Buddhist temple of Lankatilaka (a tall statue of Buddha with a lost head), the ruins of the luxurious Parakramabahu palace, and the Thuparama stupa (the first religious building). You should definitely visit the Gal Vihara complex - a Buddhist temple, which is home to 4 granite statues of Buddha carved into the rock.

In the 2nd century BC. e. The first settlers appeared in Polonnaruwa, as told in centuries-old cave texts! The city of Polonnaruwa is the real history of the island, its life and prosperity.

Anuradhapura - is it worth going?

80 km from Sigiriya is Anuradhapura, a large city, the administrative center of the Anuradhapura district. Here you can see the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree, under which Buddha meditated, visit the Wilpattu National Park, as well as numerous ancient monuments. Be sure to check it out here.

Be sure to check out the local market in Sigiriya where you can buy exotic vegetables and fruits. And also delicious Ceylon tea and coffee. Go to the souvenir shops - you will find interesting and unusual things here: paintings, wood crafts, woven coconut fiber mats, Ayurvedic cosmetics, real silk, saris and sarons - the national clothing of Sri Lanka, and much more.

Those who have already bought tickets to Sri Lanka or are just planning to go there should learn more about the attractions of the island. The most central point of the country, geographically and historically, is the rock Sigiriya Sri Lanka. It really is located in the very center of the island, rising above the ground by 170 meters(370 above sea level). It is worth noting that UNESCO (a world organization) has included Sigiriya of Sri Lanka in the list of world heritage sites. And not in vain, the plateau really has a majestic appearance, its steep rocky walls have a unique natural pattern of layers of marble of various colors.

The uniqueness of the Sigiriya rock

But in addition to natural beauty, Sigiriya also has historical cultural value. In order to enjoy it, you need to climb the steep stairs to the very top. To make the climb easier, you should stock up on a bottle of water, a Panama hat, comfortable clothes, shoes, and optimism. It is worth going on this excursion in the morning, when the sun is not so hot. The place is very popular, elderly people and children go up there, so it won’t be too difficult for an adult without severe lung or cardiovascular diseases to climb. You also need to take into account the strong wind when climbing. If you doubt your abilities, you can hire assistant in about one thousand rupees. Moreover, the climb is not boring in itself. Along the way you can look into caves with unique wall paintings that are about a thousand years old, take a photo at a height against the backdrop of the surrounding beauty of the island (there is a lot of greenery and waterfalls around). Halfway up the climb, tourists admire mirror wall. The ascent takes about two hours. The excursion is paid, for adults this pleasure will cost about 30 dollars, children - half as much. For contrast - locals enjoy Sigiriya in Sri Lanka for about 40 cents. But for tourists, the result justifies the means, and it’s a must to see this great wonder of the world with your own eyes.

History of the Sigiriya Rock

Another name for the rock is lion fortress. The son of the ancient king Datusena, Kassapa, after the murder of his father and fearing his brother's revenge, decided to build himself an impregnable palace in the form of a lion. Today you can clearly see the paws of massive stone blocks before the start of the climb to the top. Based on the surviving records of travelers of the distant past, one can imagine the majestic beauty of the palace - facade made of precious stones, five thousand frescoes, depicting beautiful maidens (today only 18 have survived thanks to the coating of protein and honey). Nowadays, craftsmen restore lost works. The throne room, the throne itself, and the king’s pool have also been preserved. You can also take photos at the top with trained monkeys. It’s not worth buying souvenirs on the mountain or at the foot; the price is sometimes up to ten times higher.

How to get to Sigiriya

Get to Sigiriya from Colombo ( 169 km.) can be done in four hours by car or by bus number 47 from the central bus station. The bus will take you to the city Dambulla, where you can transfer to any bus to Sigiriya. Alternatively, you can come to the village at the foot of the cliff and stay overnight; housing can be found without problems, then getting up in the morning will be easier.

Photo report about how I went to the Sigiriya rock in Sri Lanka.

I give a link to VKontakte album, if anyone wants to view it in a larger size, or download the original photo.

Such beautiful flowers grow in this castle.


Lotus is beautiful.


Monkeys guard the entrance to the castle grounds.


In fact, it used to be a moat, but now flowers grow there.


Are you tired of flowers yet?


Tired of it? Then let's get back to the monkeys.


Or is it still flowers?


There were a lot of flowers there even during the king’s lifetime. And in general, he loved beauty, since he had 500 (five hundred) concubines. Some of them are depicted on the frescoes that will follow.


Me and my wife. She is my best.


Notice the whistle between the monkey's legs.


Monkeys are cool.


The entire area is surrounded by a moat and there are many swimming pools inside. According to legend, the king loved to swim. Or wash after working with concubines.


Probably everyone has such a photo.


Trees inside the castle.


Having walked through the interior of the castle, we began to climb.


Masha is unhappy; perhaps she shouldn’t have been loaded with two bottles of water.


The passage between two stones looks epic.


How many steps do you think there are?


You can try to guess, and the answer will be a little lower.


View from about a third of the way up.


There are huge beehives all over the rock, so if you talk too much you will get stung by killer bees.


The view is really cool and it's not even the top yet.


Selfie-kiss, our guide in the background.


The long-awaited concubines by all. They are also called the heavenly maidens of Sigiriya.


According to legend, when the monks received this rock at their disposal, they were unable to pray here because they were distracted by indecent frescoes.


Not much has survived, they are afraid to restore it, so go and see it with your own eyes.


Interesting size of concubines' breasts. The king apparently respected only sizes from 3rd.


View from the middle of the climb.


Part of the garden we walked through about 20 minutes ago.


To say that it is very scary there is the same as saying nothing - there Holy shit how scary.


Lakes are visible somewhere in the distance.


Description of the lion's paws - the entrance to the castle on the Sigiriya rock.


Previously there was also a lion's head.


But it collapsed over time. The entrance to the castle was through the lion's throat.


This is not the right angle, but the steps are very dangerous. For me this was the scariest part of the climb. The funny thing is that the wind just blows away.


If you look closely, you can see that there used to be something near the rock, but it fell off.


Our group says hello to everyone.


Finally we reached the top.


The view from the top is very good. But of course my camera doesn’t convey all the beauty.


It's time to fool around.


Notice the step? So this is the 1202nd. If you count it, climbing this rock is equivalent to climbing a 60-story building.


Handstand performed by me.


And the spider in Masinoy.


After yoga you should definitely kiss.


There are quite a lot of buildings on the rock itself. There was even a dance hall there.


Everything is slowly falling apart. Pay attention to the steps that hold up the wall.


Height 363 meters above sea level. And about 170 from the ground.


Great selfie, put it on your profile picture?


Masha decided to stop the excursion and begged. By the way, the climb costs about 500 rubles (per person), which is very expensive in local money. We gave the guide the same amount.


There are a few more buildings at the foot of the cliff, this is the audience hall.


And its description.


The king rested here after making important decisions in the meeting room.


Brick is made from clay.


There were only three passages to the rock, and one of them was guarded by a snake.


Cobra to be exact.


And already a standard passage in the form of two stones.


On the descent we were offered juices. Prices are very small; to convert to rubles, divide by 3.8. Fresh mango juice for 300 rupees, that is, 78 rubles. In my opinion it's wildly cheap.


The dog also wanted juice, but we didn’t give it.


Manya is pleased with the wonderful excursion, juice and purchase of a wooden tuk-tuk.

Please ask your questions in the comments. I hope you enjoyed it!
High quality, 100% cotton: Polish fabrics online store in Moscow.

Sigiriya, which means in Senegalese Lion Rock is a ruined ancient fortress located in the mountains, which still preserves the remains of palace buildings. It is located in the center of the island of Sri Lanka. The remains of the fortress are surrounded, unfortunately, also by the remains of a once extensive network of pools, gardens, and other structures. This destination is very popular among tourists coming to Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is also famous for its ancient frescoes.

The Sigiriya Rock rises above the surrounding plain and is visible for many miles from different directions. Its base is a steep rock, which is formed from the magma of an extinct volcano that has long since begun to collapse. The height is 370 meters above sea level.

Aerial view of Sigiriya:

Sigiriya was inhabited in prehistoric times and was already used as a mountain monastery-refuge. It is believed that caves and monasteries appeared here around the 5th century BC. And the palace and garden were built during the reign of King Kasapa I (477 - 495 AD).

Only after the death of the king did this place again begin to function as a monastery and existed in this status until the 14th century, after which, for unknown reasons, it was abandoned. Further, right up to the 17th century, all mentions of Sigiriya disappeared and appeared again after the 17th century. But now this area is no longer called Sigiriya, but the Kingdom of Kandy. But, as if by magic, with the end of Kandy's rule, people leave Lion Rock again.

What is the history of the fortress-monastery on Mount Sigiriya?

The very first mentions of Sigiriya go back to ancient times. The scriptures that date back to the period BC say that the fortress-monastery was built from pure gold, and the architect was the great Vishvakarman. Brahma gave it to the deity of wealth - Kubera. But very little time passed and the rakshasa demons, whose ruler was the ten-headed monster Ravana, captured the island. For his pleasure, Ravana kidnapped the beautiful wife of the princes of Rama. Freeing his wife, Rama destroyed Ravana and began to happily rule Sigiriya.

A later version of the origin of Sigiriya takes us to the 5th century AD. King Datusen, who reigned in these places at that time, had two sons. The eldest was called Kassapa, and the youngest was Mogallan. Kassapa killed his own father in order to seize power, since the father wanted to give the throne to his youngest son. Mogallan managed to survive by leaving for India. Kassapa, who was left without competitors for the royal throne, calmed down and began to develop the territory he had acquired at such a terrible price. However, fear remained in his heart and, as it turned out later, not without reason. Driven by fear, Kassapa moves the capital of his kingdom from the plain to Mount Sigiriya, which was famous for its height and steep slopes. In a word, Sigiriya is very convenient when you need to hold the defense.

18 years pass. During this time, King Kassapa created a luxurious palace on the impregnable fortress, and planted many beautiful and cozy gardens under the rock. In these gardens, archaeologists believe that the first fountains on Earth were built. Kassapa relaxed and imagined himself to be the god of wealth. He spent all his time in entertainment.

Mogallan, being in exile and driven by the desire to avenge the death of his father and his flight, devoted all his time to improving his military abilities and gathering an army. He understood that the fight would be difficult and waited until he got stronger.

And then the long-awaited day for Mogallan came. His army and Kassapa's army met on the plain near Sigiriya. The battle went on for a long time and no one could predict the result of the battle. The advantage was alternately on the side of one brother, then on the side of the other. The outcome was determined by a simple accident - in the midst of the battle, Kassapa's elephant, tormented by thirst, leaves the battlefield and goes to a watering hole. The army perceives this “maneuver” as the flight of King Kassapa and, in a hurry, also leaves the battlefield. Just like that - the thirst of one elephant determined the outcome of the battle. Kassapa's army fled, and he decided not to surrender alive into the hands of his brother and cut his own throat. Mogallan, having avenged his father's death, regains both the kingdom and the crown. The capital also returns to its rightful place - Anuradhapura. The palace on the rock, as a memory of the terrible past, is subject to destruction by order of the winner.

Sights of Sigiriya.

So from a huge lion carved into the rock, whose mouth was once the entrance to the fortress, only its paws have been preserved. The throne of King Kassapa was preserved, sitting on which he enjoyed the dances of his concubines. Many architectural solutions of the palace builders, despite their age, amaze with their ingenuity. The moat and walls surrounding the palace have retained their former elegance and beauty; cisterns for saving water still hold it.

King's Throne:

Lion Paws:

Sigiriya - translated from Sinhalese as “lion rock” - is located almost in the center of the island of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya rises 370 meters above sea level and 170 meters around the surrounding desert plain. The area of ​​this lion rock is 1.5 hectares.

Previously, in the 5th century, the local king Kasyapa lived on the top of a cliff in his palace. Around this fortress there were royal gardens with various ponds and parks. He had a good life :)

Why the fortress is called Lion's Rock - it's all about its shape. The upper part of the rock is made in the form of a large lion, between whose paws a stone staircase began that led to the top. Unfortunately, now only the paws of the lion remain, but they are very impressive. IN 1982 Lion Rock Sigiriya was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This point was one of the first on our plans to visit Sri Lanka, despite its not at all budget entry price. Just imagine, the entrance price for foreigners is $30 per person! And for locals the entrance is 50-60 rupees. But we couldn’t miss such a famous place as Sigiriya and included it in our list of attractions in Sri Lanka.

You can get to Sigiriya by train, bus, taxi or on your own by moped.

• from Colombo - if you want to travel by train, you will have to change trains in Kandy; there are no direct trains. Trains run quite frequently, every 1-2 hours. You can see the schedule. The journey takes approximately 4 hours; in Kandy you need to take a bus that goes to the city of Dambulla, the fare is $1. The drive takes about 2 hours. Next you need to get to Sigiriya, you can take a bus or a tuk-tuk. The distance from Dambulla to Sigiriya is 20 km. You can also take the direct Colombo-Dambulla bus; check the schedule at the Colombo bus station.
• You can get to Sigiriya by taxi from almost anywhere in Sri Lanka
• We traveled on our own by moped to the city of Dambulla from Unawatuna, arrived in the evening, spent the night there in a hotel that we accidentally saw from the road, we liked it, and for $25 we stayed in it. The next morning, rested and sleepy, we went to Sigiriya to conquer the lion rock.

Good hotels in Sigiriya on Booking:

Sigiriya - entry fee and opening hours

For foreigners, admission is $30 per person. This is the most expensive attraction in Sri Lanka.

Moreover, even if you can slip unnoticed into the territory of Sigiriya, you are unlikely to be able to climb the rock itself; there are several guards checking tickets in several places.

Sigiriya - opening hours: 08.30 – 17.30, daily

I advise you to arrive at the beginning of the entrance early in the morning; we arrived at about 10 am, since we were staying not far from Sigirri, in Dambulla, in a small cozy hotel.

The sun was already hot. At the parking lot, in front of the entrance, local guides will accost you; you may or may not agree to their services. We did not take a guide with us because we wanted to go together. We read information about Sigiriya in advance, and were, in principle, well aware of what and how it used to be here. 🙂 Although, perhaps, with a guide it would be more interesting at the top, since there are quite a lot of interesting things there. By the way, the guide came up to us and spoke to us in Russian. In principle, his speech was understandable. So, if you want to go with a guide, you need to specifically negotiate a price with him; he offers us a price of around 500 rupees. So, we bought entrance tickets and entered the territory of Sigiriya.

We had a beautiful view of Lion Mountain from below; it seemed very high, we couldn’t even believe that we would climb up. To the left and right of us were small ponds of water, some of which contained many beautiful lilies. We hurried to the rock. It was about 11 am, the sun was already starting to burn. We discovered that we only took 400 ml of water with us for two, the one and a half liter bottle was less than half full. We weren’t too upset, we thought that they probably sell water here, albeit a little more expensive. We met a man who was offering a cold bottle of water, do you know how much? For 600 rupees! While everywhere a 1.5 liter bottle of water costs 70 rupees! We were shocked and refused to buy water from him! And as it turned out, absolutely right! As soon as we walked halfway through the mountain and reached the place where the big paws of the lion stand, we saw that many people were approaching a large barrel and pouring water from it into their bottles or drinking directly from the tap. We did exactly the same. In principle, the water is quite safe to drink.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, even before the rock itself there are several large stones, some even have steps knocked out :)

And behind these two huge stones the main entrance to the Sigiriya rock begins.

The steps are very well made and run along the cliff. It looks very impressive. Everything is fenced in, we stopped periodically because it was very hot. The higher you go, the more beautiful the views open up. In the photo you can see security guards, they periodically check entrance tickets.

All the passages along the wall are made very cool, sometimes you get the feeling that you are somewhere in China on the famous “path of death”.

This is what the Sigiriya Lion Rock looks like halfway up the route. It is this part of it that was once a full-fledged lion, but now you can only see its paws. The last 15-20 minutes and we are already at the top!

At the very top of the lion rock of Sigiriya there is practically no place to hide from the sun, only a couple of trees are located in such a large area.

Sigiriya from above is beautiful! And the views of the places where we just walked are mesmerizing. From here everything seems so small.

We didn’t walk along the top for very long, probably 20-30 minutes. As we understand, the king slept in one place, drank in another, and walked in a third.

There are several pools of water set up here, and the water in them does not dry out. Marvelous.

The king had a place to roam. We walked around, looked, took photos and decided to go down.

At this time, many schoolchildren were climbing up; as we understood, a visit to the Lion Rock of Sigiriya is included in their school curriculum. Great, right?

In the geographical center of the island of Sri Lanka there is a rock that stands out strikingly against the background of the surrounding plain. This is Sigiriya, or as it is also called Lion Rock (Sigiriya itself is translated from Sinhala as Lion Rock). It rises approximately 170 meters relative to the plateau on which it is located. The absolute height is 370 meters above sea level.

Sigiriya on the map

• Geographic coordinates 7.956538, 80.759964
• The distance from the actual capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, is approximately 150 km in a straight line
• The nearest airport is Anuradhapura Airport about 53 km

Sigiriya is famous primarily for the fact that in ancient times a king settled here. He built an impregnable fortress from ordinary rock. And the point here is not at all that the ruler wanted to stand out somehow. In fact, the king was hiding on an impregnable rock, fearing reprisals from his brother.

History of Sigiriya Fortress

As you know from history, in ancient times the struggle of rulers for power using the most savage methods of exterminating competitors was very popular. This tradition has not bypassed Sri Lanka either. In the 4th century AD, Kasapa - the son of King Dhatusena - decided to take power into his own hands, removing his most important rival - his father. And he did it in a very brutal way, walling it up in the wall. In fact, all power should have rightfully passed to Mogallan, another son of the murdered king (just do not confuse him with the famous navigator Magellan). Kasapa did not share power with his brother and moved the capital of the state from the city of Anuradhapura to the Sigiriya rock. It is logical to assume that it will be very difficult to get to it. In addition, Kasapa feared his brother’s revenge.

The entrance to Sigiriya was made in the form of the mouth of a giant lion. Unfortunately, only his paws have survived to this day. Seeing the size of these paws, you can imagine the whole lion. The huge lion was supposed to frighten uninvited guests and instill in any person awe and respect for the king.

At the very top of the rock, the ruler’s personal chambers were equipped with swimming pools, gardens and other terribly important attributes for the king. The walls were decorated with beautiful frescoes depicting seductive concubines, usually with a minimum amount of clothing.

But in the photo you can see the throne. Not exactly luxurious, of course, but, nevertheless, the main place of the king.

The area around Sigiriya was planted with beautiful gardens with ponds and alleys. Archaeologists have discovered here some of the very first fountains in the world (and some sources claim that these fountains are the very first on the planet).

Mogallan, the brother of the treacherous Kasapa, first fled to India to escape persecution. There he began to gather an army to fight the self-proclaimed king. But he did not yet dare to join the battle. Meanwhile, King Kasapa himself, absolutely confident in his superiority, decided to put an end to his brother and sent him word that he wanted to fight him. Mogallan did not avoid battle and moved his troops to Sigiriya. In the midst of the battle, an incredible event occurred. The king's war elephant, simply thirsty, turned to the nearest pond. But the army took this as an attempt by the king to escape from the battlefield and bravely and courageously... fled. Finding himself face to face with Mogallan's army, Kasapa did not find anything more logical than to plunge a dagger into his chest. This is how the battle ended with the absurd defeat and death of Kasapa.

Mogallan moved the capital back to Anuradhapura, leaving Sigiriya to the monks. The monastery existed there until the 14th century, then information about it was lost. New life was given to Sigiriya by the appearance of Europeans in these places.

Discovery of Sigiriya by Europeans

The first information about the discovery of Sigiriya by Europeans dates back to the times of the colonization of India, more precisely in 1831. This year, the British military, led by Major Jonathan Forbes, discovered Lion Rock for the first time. A little later, scientists became interested in the find. In 1907, the English scientist John Still explored the palace complex. In particular, he was struck by the large number of frescoes. There were about 500 of them here at that time. They occupied a vast area about 140 meters long and 40 meters high. John even called this place "the largest art gallery in the world." No more than 18 frescoes have survived to this day. There is evidence that most of the frescoes (remember that they depicted beautiful concubines practically in negligee) were destroyed by monks who were distracted from prayers by these beautiful maidens in the images.

There are inscriptions on the walls of Sigiriya, some of which date back to the 8th century AD. Now Sigiriya is under state protection and modern tourists are prohibited from leaving their inscriptions.

Today, travelers can only admire the remains of the palaces of Sigiriya, since most of the buildings have already been destroyed. The optimal time to visit Lion Rock is morning, as the sun is not very hot yet. Remember that to climb you will have to overcome steep stairs and quite strong winds. But the view of the surrounding area more than compensates for any inconvenience.

• scientists have established that long before King Kasapa, on the rock from about the 3rd century AD. inhabited by Buddhist monks
• Entrance to Lion Rock is paid, and for tourists it costs about 30 dollars (children 2 times less), but for local residents only half a dollar
• UNESCO included Sigiriya as a World Heritage Site in 1982
• Since its discovery by Europeans in the 19th century, extensive archaeological research began only in 1982
• According to historians, the front part of the palace on Sigiriya used to be richly strewn with precious stones

Sigiriya photo