Sri lanka mount sigiriya. Sigiriya is a lion rock in Sri Lanka (our review and photo). Archaeological remains and their features

Sigiriya is one of the most visited attractions in Sri Lanka. Even the extortionate cost of the entrance ticket does not stop the huge flow of tourists. Lion Rock has no analogue not only in Ceylon, but probably in all of Asia, so for many travelers ancient city is a must see.

We, too, were not too lazy to make a difficult journey through the entire island and in this article we will share practical information: what to see, how to get to Sigiriya, where to stay for the night.

What is Sigiriya

As the old, like the world, legend says - in the 5th century. a certain king Datusen decided to leave the throne to his beloved younger son Mogallan. The eldest son of Kasap did not agree with the decision of his father, so he imprisoned the old man, and then killed him. Fearing that his brother's wrath would overtake him, Mogallan went on the run.

Do you think that Kasapa began to live happily ever after? No matter how! He lived in fear and worried that one day his brother would return to take revenge. Fearing for his life, Kasapa built the impregnable city of Sigiriya, and built a huge palace on a rocky plateau.

Despite the fact that only ruins remain from the former grandeur, you can still see some functional solutions. For example, pools on a rocky plateau that still hold water, moats around the palace complex and huge terraces with gardens.

According to the stories of historians, many centuries ago Sigiriya was a luxurious palace complex: with fountains, gardens, large art gallery and subjects.

From the side western slope you can still see the remains of ancient frescoes.

In this story, good triumphed over evil. Years passed, Mogallan gathered an army, overthrew his brother and destroyed his palace. After the death of Kasapa, Sigiriya continued to exist until the 14th century, but as a Buddhist monastery. Since 1982 ancient complex is under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

How to get to Sigiriya

Given the lack good roads, trains are perhaps the most convenient way movement.

Going to Sigiriya from Colombo, you will need to make two transfers.

• The first is in, since there is no railway. Trains Colombo - Kandy depart every 1-2 hours, the schedule can be see here. On the way ≈ 4 hours. The fare in second-class carriages is $2.

The Sri Lankans do not distinguish between the second and third class, but go into the car that they like. Paying for second-class fare will not make your trip more comfortable. The exception is the first class, in such cars they are allowed strictly on tickets in which the seat is indicated.

• In Kandy, you need to transfer to a bus that goes to the town of Dambula. The fare is $1. The journey will take ≈ 2 hours. Departure from the railway station.

From Dambula to the Lion Rock is already within easy reach, only 20 km. This distance can be traveled by bus (runs about once an hour), or by tuk-tuk.

There are also direct buses from Colombo to Dambula, but we did not dare to take them.

• First, the roads in Sri Lanka are just terrible;
• Secondly, the buses are too old and unreliable, and the drivers consider themselves skilled racers;
• Third, public transport Sri Lanka is constantly crowded, you run the risk of riding while standing.

Sigiriya is the most expensive attraction in Sri Lanka. Entrance for tourists costs $30 (3900 rupees), and for locals only $1. To be honest, I don’t even remember in what other country we paid so much for admission. But what can you do, there are no workarounds! Control is carried out in several places, so it is unlikely that a hare will slip through. Even if you slipped into the territory of the complex, you won’t be able to climb the plateau without a ticket.

Opening hours: daily, 08.30 – 17.30

• The ascent to the plateau is quite difficult, try not to take a lot of things with you;
• Due to the high air temperature, best time to visit - early morning;
• Don't forget hats and sunscreen, on the plateau you will be under the direct rays of the sun;
• I recommend taking water with you. After passing the control, nothing is sold;
• There are no toilets on the plateau, so take care of this in advance;
• If you want to save money, you can buy a single ticket for two and take turns going inside. Yes, it will be very long, but cheaper;

Accommodation in Sigiriya Sri Lanka

There will be no problems with housing in Sigiriya, but prices, however, as elsewhere in Sri Lanka, start at $ 25 per room. There are a lot of guesthouses and hotels in the area, you can arrange an overnight stay while in Sigiriya, or book a room online. According to my observations, the price on the site practically does not differ from the one that is called on the spot.

This massive monolith of red stone, steeply falling down from all sides, is visible from everywhere. The rock rises 349 m above sea level and 180 m above the surrounding jungle. The Sigiriya Fortress is shaped like a crouched lion, the entrance to the huge building was once located in the lion's mouth. Today, only giant paws remain of this lion, but the outline of the beast still dominates the plain. Halfway to the top of the cliff, a brightly colored image of a procession of maidens has been preserved.

The fortress was absolutely impregnable, so that its defenders could withstand any siege. Two thousand years ago, hunters settled here, and in the 5th century. n. e. Sigiriya became the center of Sinhalese rule in Sri Lanka; the period of its prosperity in one of the Ceylonese written monuments is described as "a time of cruel passions, romantic beauty and superhuman efforts, which have no analogues in the bloody Sri Lankan history." Really bloody: this beautiful island and now threatens Civil War (no wonder its shape is also compared with a tear).

In 459, Dhatusena, a Sinhalese of noble birth, defeated the Tamils ​​who opposed him and founded a new capital, Anuradhapura, in the northwest of the island. Soon, from his younger wife, his son Kasapa was born. But then the eldest wife also gave birth to a son, Mogallan, who became the legitimate heir to the throne. But Kasapa did not want to put up with this. In 477 he seized power and walled up his father alive. Mogallana, saving his life, fled to the south of India, inhabited by Tamils.

Kasapa entered the history of Sri Lanka as a cruel, ruthless ruler. All his actions were dictated by fear of the return of the rightful heir. Almost immediately after parricide and the seizure of power, he began to strengthen the already impregnable rock of Sigiriya and eventually erected on top of this giant megalith a luxurious palace, which became his residence for the entire time of his reign (11 years).

Even today it is easy to imagine this treacherous ruler sitting on a smooth stone - the "royal throne" - and admiring the luxurious gardens laid out below, on the plain. But the surrounding beauty did not please Kasapa, his gaze constantly rushed to the horizon, where at any moment his brother, who had been overthrown, could appear.

And these fears were not in vain. In 495, Moggallana, burning with revenge, returned to Sri Lanka with the support of Tamil warriors. Kasapa, to his misfortune, descended from the cliff to meet the enemy on the way. However, the giant elephant on which he sat was cut off from the main army. Left alone, Kasapa committed suicide by cutting his own throat. Mogallan won the victory and proclaimed himself ruler. The capital was again moved to Anuradhapura, and the fortress of Sigiriya was forgotten. She was "captured" by the jungle, and the monks settled in the local caves.

Climbing up to Sigiriya, you can see the once majestic royal pool, the throne, the remains luxurious palace, parks and gardens. But keep in mind, climbing the rock is quite difficult; even for people in good physical shape, it takes 2-3 hours.

Open: daily 7.00-18.00. Entrance fee or single ticket in the "Cultural Triangle"

Sigiriya is also famous magnificent complex geometric gardens, ponds, fountains and buildings.

The water garden is a striking example of early hydraulics, providing the park with surface drainage, erosion control, a cooling system, and various decorative water features. There was even an artificial lake with a dam-boi 12 km long, and in the water gardens there were pools, reservoirs and islands surrounding a large pavilion. The water supply of the fountains is well calculated, they operate to this day.

To the north of the fortress is Pidurangala rock, where there is a Buddhist monastery and cave temples. One of the largest statues reclining Buddha.

The day after cave temples we went to look at the main attraction of Sri Lanka, Sigiriya. This is the undisputed number one of the most interesting places on the island, many even compare Sigiriya with Machu Picchu. It will be interesting for both nature lovers and history connoisseurs.

At the beginning, a few words about the history of Sigiriya. Sigiriya is a rocky plateau with a height of 370 m, the height above the surrounding valley is almost 200 m. Translated from Sinhala means " lion rock". At the end of the 5th century, the king of Sri Lanka, Kasapa, built a fortress and his palace on a rock. The king was that type, according to later chronicles. He walled his father alive in the wall, and his brother, who, according to the law, should have inherited throne, drove to India.But fearing his return and revenge, Kasapa just erected this impregnable fortress.

However, as I understand accurate history no one knows this place. It is highly doubtful that in the short period of his reign, Kasapa managed to build such an impressive complex. Most likely, he really visited Sigiriya, in which there was a Buddhist monastery before him and after him, to which the majority belongs grand buildings. But everything that the guides will tell you should be skeptical. Over time, the monks left Sigiriya and everyone forgot about this place until the British accidentally stumbled upon it at the beginning of the 19th century.

But now everything is in order. After the visit, we spent the night in its vicinity. And in the morning we immediately went to Sigiriya, because. it is advisable to visit it early before the onset of the heat of the day. Otherwise, climbing 200 meters will turn into torture. Fortunately, Dambulla and Sigiriya are only 30 km apart, so we arrived quickly.

At the entrance to Sigiriya again watched the monkeys. Here smart creatures have mastered the bungee. They swung on vines and jumped from them into the lake. The spectacle is simply intoxicating. In the photo, the moment when the monkey flops into the water.

I swam and went to beg for food from tourists.

This time I decided to immediately take a guide at the box office. The guide cost $30. He swore oath to take us to some only known to him and most long route rather than the standard way for tourists. And, to check, the guide turned out to be the coolest of the whole trip. He told lies very enthusiastically and interestingly, without him Sigiriya would not have been so impressive, I'm sure.

In front of the rock stretches a very vast area with gardens, ponds and fountains.

From any point you can see the same rock that we had to climb.

Following the guide, we went to the ascent to the top of Sigiriya. On the way, he told all sorts of stories that Kasapa was very loving and had 500 wives or mistresses. The favorite occupation of the king was to watch how all this herd splashed in the pools around Sigiriya.

The rock is getting closer.

On the left is one of the guides, they are easily recognizable by the identical umbrellas in their hands.

The wasp warning is no joke. Relatively recently, there was a case when our (what else) tourists disturbed the nests and then the complex had to be closed for a couple of weeks, because. just clouds of these evil insects were flying around.

The guide turned out to be well done and did not deceive, we really separated from the main flow of tourists and made a fair detour before climbing. On the way, he told a lot of things and showed all sorts of interesting places, such as the gate in the picture below, but almost everything disappeared from his head in a year and a half.

Pay attention to the steps carved in stone, this is how they used to climb to Sigiriya.

From this place began an endless staircase upward. According to the guide, this bench is Kasapa's throne, on which he waited for his porters to rest before the long climb.

All right, it's time to go upstairs.

The remains of the tower, on which there were sentries, surveying the surroundings in search of an approaching enemy.

We haven't even gone halfway yet, but already great views. On the right you can see the road along which we came from the entrance to the complex.

And here the main thing is not to miss the most a nice place Sigiriya. This climb leads to the famous frescoes. Be sure not to be lazy and go up there.

All this for the sake of these unique boobs girls. Of the original 500, only 18 remain, but even in this form, the drawings are amazing. They are over 1500 years old, but so far, thanks to a technology similar to porcelain, the paints are well preserved. Who these madams are not known for certain, the guide said that they were Kasapa's concubines. But in fact there are many versions.

The place is very popular with tourists.

Following interesting place is a mirrored wall. At the time of Kasapa, it was polished to a mirror state. Passing through the gallery, the king could look into it. Now there are only a couple of areas that really seem to be mirrored.

We are higher and higher.

Remains of some buildings. Gil said it was the barracks for the Sigiriya guards.

This building is beyond doubt. Before us is one of the defensive tricks of Kasapa. Stones under the rock were knocked out and this bulk fell on the attackers.

And here we are at the finish line. There remained the last most difficult part of the climb up the almost vertical and eerie (with its unsteadiness) stairs. It was at this place main entrance to Sigiriya. And he looked like a giant lion, into whose mouth a ladder led. Now only paws remain from the lion.

A similar rock rises near Sigiriya.

We rise from lion gate up a flimsy staircase to the very top to the Kasapa Palace.

The views are getting better with every step.

Hurray, crawled to the very top.

View of the ponds where Kasapa's 500 concubines were splashing.

The buildings at the very top did not survive, only foundations and pools. But it still inspires.

Kasapa was very fond of water apparently.

Once upon a time, artificial rivers and fountains flowed here. Single topic how they raised the water to such a height.

Having bought tickets from Moscow to Colombo, I rushed to look for those sights that I want to see first of all in Sri Lanka. And even though I got to Sigiriya almost in the last place, she stood in my first place. How else?! You will look at the photographs that are taken against the backdrop of the Lion Rock. And having got acquainted closer with the past of this place, you can feel genuine historical interest in it.

From Dambulla

You can take any bus going to Sigiriya. During the day, they leave a few pieces. Just ask to be dropped off at Sigiriya Rock. You will find yourself on the path from which your hard way to the top. The fare is about 0.13 USD (20 LKR, Sri Lankan rupees) per person on a regular bus. The second option is tuk-tuk. For 6.6-7 USD (1000-1200 LKR) you can arrange with the driver to take you to the place, wait and take you back. Of course, you will have to bargain, and very thoroughly! :) By the way, the paths of elephants cross Sigiriya Road here and there. Seeing them in the evening is a common thing, but somehow I was not lucky.

Motorists and motorbikers will also easily reach Sigiriya along one of the main roads of the country - the Colombo-Trincomalee Highway. The trip will take you no more than 40 minutes (taking into account the fact that after the exit from the highway the road becomes quite narrow, and you have to give way to buses in order for them to pass).

From Sigiriya

From such districts of Dambulla as Kimbissa and Sigiriya of the same name, I will advise you to go by tuk-tuk. You can negotiate with the driver for 2.6–3.3 USD (400–500 LKR) to take you there and back. One way trip will cost you 0.7–1 USD (100–150 LKR).

Of course, if you are trying to save as much as possible, you can also take a regular bus and drive for a penny (less than 0.1 USD) to the start of the route to the rock. And yet, first check if you live within walking distance of it. The photo below is just one of the trails to the rock.

parking

In terms of parking, the owners of motorbikes are the luckiest - they will be able to do all the way to the ticket office on their iron horse, reducing their walk by about a kilometer. Motorists will have to leave their vehicles before the start of the hiking trail near the Sigiriya temple, about which you can read below.

Admission

A visit to the rock will cost you no less than 30 USD (4260 LKR). At the same time, for locals, the entrance costs only 0.33 USD (50 LKR). Unfortunately, these are the rules, but this money, in my opinion, is worth its impressions. By the way, children aged 6 to 12 receive a ticket at half the price, and those under 6 get it for free. Your ticket will also include admission to the museum in the park.

Working mode

Sigiriya ticket offices are open from 7:00 to 17:30. At the same time, the last visitors are let in at 5 pm, since darkness sets in soon enough after that. 3-4 hours are allotted for sightseeing. You will not pass the cash desk - it is located right on the way to the rock. After that, along the same path you will go to the checkpoint where your ticket will be checked.

What to see nearby

The surroundings of Sigiriya are rich in sights. In such a small area there are a lot of interesting things.

Mount Pidurangala

A good cheap alternative to Sigiriya. The height of this mountain is approximately the same, and the price of entry is 8 times lower. Below and on the way to the top of Pidurangala, there used to be a Buddhist monastery, which attracts pilgrims from all over the island. If you are not interested in the cultural and historical part of Sigiriya, and you only need beautiful views from above - go here! A nice plus will be a much smaller number of tourists.

Stupa Ramakele

It is assumed that this stupa was built during the reign of that particular king Kashyapa. It seems to me that this place will be interesting for those people who came down from Sigiriya early and want to see as much as possible. Only the rounded lower part remained from the stupa, densely covered with a layer of moss. It is located right next to Sigiriya Road.

Temple of Sigiriya

Well, how about in a place of historical importance for Buddhists and without a temple? When you find yourself at the beginning of the route to Sigiriya, you will have a choice - turn in one direction to the rock and in the opposite direction - to the temple. Be sure to look into the temple - although it is not some kind of work of art, it is definitely worth looking at the Buddha statue if you are interested.

• I would definitely not recommend visiting the place from 10 am to 4 pm. The ascent is quite difficult, it takes about 50-90 minutes. Older people and children should go here just after dawn to avoid crowds and sweltering heat.

• Be extremely careful with monkeys! They must not be touched, they must not smile - they perceive this as signs of aggression towards themselves. You don't have to feed them either. In addition, monkeys can easily try to snatch your phone or camera from your hands, even jump on your shoulders for the sake of it. Any monkey bite should be treated by a doctor immediately.
• Stock up on water - at least 1.5 liters per person. If anything, you can buy it in the cafe at the bottom of the cliff, but most likely you will need drinks earlier.
• A visit to Sigiriya is very well combined with.

It is probably unnecessary to say that the 200-meter Sigiriya, more precisely lion rock considered one of the most popular places among the tourists Sri Lanka. I really don’t know why this is so, whether the matter is in the antiquity of the building (477 - 495 AD), or in the fact that UNESCO put its nose here again, or in a typical PR, it’s not for me to judge. However, the fact remains - this is the most expensive attraction in the country, $ 35! For this amount, you can look at the ruins of the fortress with the remains of the palace on top of the cliff, walk along the remains former luxury royal gardens, admire the frescoes and what remains of the figure of a bulky lion - its huge paws guarding the entrance.

It seems, local authorities they do not know the measure only in one of the human qualities - greed. When our monthly budget across the country is a maximum of $100 per month for two, paying $70 for one attraction is crazy. Therefore, we prepared ourselves by first finding a map of the area on the Internet with a description of one of the travelers how to see Sigiriya for free. The information, however, is a little outdated, now there are much more guarded posts in Sigiriya, and it is more difficult to climb through. Therefore, whether we will be able to repeat the feat or not is another question, but it was worth a try.

How to get to Sigiriya.

Lion Rock (Sigiriya) is located between Dambulla and Khabarana, so it is better to take a bus from these settlements. Buses run frequently and cost around 50 rupees. You can also get to Sigiriya from just 4 hours or from (although you still have to get to Dambulla first).

It should also be borne in mind that there are practically no buses from the final in Sigiriya, mostly these are passing buses.

As always, we hitchhiked from Minneriya, or rather, at first we visited, after which we got the rest of the way to Sigiriya through Minneriya along the highway.

Some of them drove on a local truck, and got to Sigiriya itself in a passenger car with two guides. I was still afraid that they would not think of driving up to the very gates, with which they could “light up” us at the entrance in front of the guards. Thank God they landed earlier.

Sticky locals.

I, as always, stayed with my things in the bushes, so as not to attract the attention of the locals, and Andrei went to explore.

No matter how I disguised myself, I was still seen from the road by two "Lankans", one of whom turned out to be a tourist guide. The guys were surprised that I was sitting alone in the bushes, or maybe they just wanted to meet a white European. In general, I decided to play silent with them in the hope that they would leave me alone.

It was not there, these two turned out to be very stubborn, and apparently not at all far away, asking the same questions every minute and not getting answers to them. The most talkative one even tried to scare him with snakes, which were supposedly found in the thickets in in large numbers. Yeah, maybe six months ago it would have scared me, but not now.

Still, one could not stand it, threw something rude in my direction, and they left, fortunately for me.

Is it possible to climb the Lion Mountain (Sigiriya) for free? We find out.

While I silently "conversed" with two strangers, Andrey made his way through the thickets of the territory of Sigiriya in search of a free passage.

Since the most famous landmark of Sri Lanka - Lion Rock was also the most expensive, it is not surprising that it can be ranked among the most protected. After a couple of tens of meters, Andrei noticed a local in uniform in the bushes. He, too, caught Andrey's bright T-shirt out of the corner of his eye and immediately shouted "Mr., Mister!". Andrei ran a little further away and hid in the thickets until the guard's voice died down completely.

Somehow he made his way through the jungle once famous for its magnificence of royal gardens with ponds and fountains.

Surprisingly, there were no more guards in the lower territory, so you could safely walk through the ruins and take pictures. An interesting pebble, why bother with steps like that?

And this is a mountain called "cobra". Looks like it, right?

The last "obstacle" is the passage under the sacred blocks.

As experienced "climbers over fences" said, you can get to the lion's paws.

But, Andrei got a little confused in the map and did not reach them a little, approaching the mountain from the side where the bulk of the tourists went down to the exit.

Somewhere nearby there are also frescoes, at the entrance to which they additionally check the presence of a ticket.

It was at the moment when he decided to make his way against the current, photographing good views from a height, that one of the guards caught him.

The proven “mute” scheme immediately went into action. True, here the guard turned out to be more thoughtful, he decided to personally take the stupid tourist to the ticket office. And here, a completely different scheme would work.

The guard did not reach the cash register, because he realized that he had left the exit unattended (at this very moment, if you do not go alone, your partner can safely slip upstairs for free). He stood with Andrey for some time thinking about what to do, then nevertheless “ordered” him to sit here and wait for another guard (yes, now!), and he returned to his post.

Andrei, of course, took advantage of the moment and returned to me. The whole operation took about 2-3 hours. I think if we went together, then one of us would definitely be able to climb to the top of the Lion Rock.

By the way, after his return, he offered me to go upstairs alone, but for a fee. However, I refused. Firstly, because it was lunch time, which means the sun was very hot and there were many tourists, I would have gone crazy in the heat in the queue. Secondly, I don't consider Sigiriya a $35 place. From its uniqueness, only paws and frescoes remained, and everything else is already ruins.

Also, many Europeans (mostly students) watch Sigiriya in a slightly different way. Not far from Lion Mountain through deep gorge there is another rock called Pidurangala Rock, where the monastery is located. A visit there is free, so Sigirey can be admired at least from afar.

In any case, since we did not dare to look at the attraction, then we go further - to, along the way entertaining ourselves with the spectacle of bathing an elephant