Lion Rock Sigiriya. Sigiriya (Sri Lanka): what to see, how to get, where to stay. Our review of Sigiriya

Those who have already bought tickets to Sri Lanka or are just going there should learn more about the sights of the island. The most central point of the country, geographically and historical plan, is a rock Sigiriya Sri Lanka. It is really located in the very center of the island, towering above the ground by 170 meters(370 above sea level). It should be noted that UNESCO world organization) has added Sri Lanka's Sigiriya to the World Heritage List. And not in vain, the plateau really has a majestic view, its sheer rocky walls have a unique natural pattern of layers of marble of various colors.

The uniqueness of the Sigiriya rock

But apart from natural beauty, Sigiriya has more historical cultural value. In order to enjoy it, you need to climb a steep staircase 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 does not bake so much.. The place is very popular, elderly people and children climb there, so it will not be very difficult for an adult without serious diseases of the lungs and cardiovascular system to climb. You also need to take into account strong wind when lifting. If you doubt your abilities, you can hire assistant for about a thousand rupees. In addition, the climb is not boring in itself. Along the way, you can look at caves with unique wall paintings, which are already about a thousand years old, to be photographed at a height against the background of the surrounding beauty of the island (there are a lot of greenery and waterfalls around). In the middle of the climb, tourists admire mirror wall. The ascent takes about two hours. The tour is paid, for adults this pleasure will cost about $30, children - half as much. For contrast - locals enjoy Sigiriya in Sri Lanka for about 40 cents. But for tourists, the result will justify the means, and to see this great wonder of the world with your own eyes is a must.

History of Sigiriya rock

Another name for the rock lion fortress . The son of the ancient king Datusena, Kassapa, after the murder of his father and fearing the revenge of his brother, decided to build himself an impregnable palace in the form of a lion. Today you can clearly see paws made of massive boulders before you start climbing to the top. According to the surviving records of travelers of the distant past, one can imagine the majestic beauty of the palace - gemstone façade, half a thousand frescoes depicting beautiful maidens (today only 18 have survived thanks to a coating of protein and honey). Masters in our time restore lost works. The throne room, the throne itself and the pool of the king have also been preserved. You can also take pictures at the top with monkeys trained to pose. Buying souvenirs on the mountain and at the foot is not worth it, the price is sometimes inflated up to a dozen times.

How to get to Sigiriya

Get to Sigiriya from the city of Colombo ( 169 km.) is possible in four hours by car or by bus under the number 47 from the central bus station. The bus will take you to the city Dambulla, where you can easily 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 it will be easier to get up in the morning.

About how I went to the Sigiriya rock in Sri Lanka photo report.

I give a link to vkontakte album if anyone wants to look in more big size, or download the original photo.

Such beautiful flowers grow in this castle.


Lotus is wonderful.


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? Then back to monkeys.


Or is it flowers?


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


I'm with my wife. She is my best.


Pay attention to the whistle of the monkey between the legs.


Monkeys are awesome.


The whole area is surrounded by a moat, and inside there are many pools. According to legend, the king was very fond of swimming. Or wash after working with concubines.


Everyone has this photo.


Trees inside the castle.


After passing through the inner part of the castle, we started to climb.


Masha is unhappy, probably it was not worth loading her with two bottles of water.


The passage between the two stones looks epic.


How many steps do you think there are?


You can try to guess, and the answer will be just below.


View from about a third of the way up.


There are huge hives all over the rock, so if you talk a lot, you will be stung by killer bees.


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


Kiss selfie, our guide is in the background.


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


According to legend, when the monks got this rock at their disposal, they could not pray here, because they were distracted by indecent frescoes.


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


An interesting size of the breasts of the concubines. The king apparently respected only sizes from the 3rd.


View from the middle of the climb.


Part of the garden we walked about 20 minutes ago.


To say that it is very scary there is like saying nothing - there fuck off how scary.


Lakes are visible in the distance.


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


There used to be a lion's head too.


But it collapsed over time. The entrance to the castle passed through the throat of a lion.


This is not such an angle, but the steps are very dangerous. For me it was the most scary plot rise. The whole point is that the wind just blows it 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 got to the top.


The view from the top is very good. But of course my camera does not convey all the beauty.


It's time to fool around.


Did you notice the step? So this is the 1202nd. If you count, then climbing this rock is tantamount to climbing a 60-story building.


Handstand by me.


And a spider in the machine.


After yoga, you should definitely kiss.


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


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


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


Great selfie, put on an avatar?


Masha decided to cancel the tour and beg. By the way, the rise costs about 500 rubles (per person), according to local money it is very expensive. We gave the same amount to the guide.


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.


The brick is made of clay.


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


Cobra to be precise.


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


On the way down we were offered juices. The prices are very small, to convert to rubles, divide by 3.8. Fresh mango juice for 300 rupees, that is, 78 rubles. It's insanely cheap in my opinion.


The dog also wanted juice, but we did not give it.


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

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

Sigiriya is an ancient mountain ruined fortress with the remains of a palace, located in the central region of Matale in Sri Lanka. This amazing stone fortress is surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, pools, and other structures. This place is very popular among tourists who travel around Sri Lanka.

The ruins of the city of Sigiriya, built by King Kassapa I, who killed his father, are located on the slopes of a mountain 370 meters high above sea level. This peak is called Lion Rock and is surrounded on all sides by jungle. The entrance to the city was a huge mouth of a lion… from which now only paws remain.

Let's find out the history of this grand structure...

The fact is that it is impossible to assert any reliability of the events described, because we are talking about the 5th century, but the history of the construction of a fortress in the rock near Sigiriya is as follows. King Kassapa I, having immured his own father in the wall, ascended the throne and began to rebuild with the hands of his slaves a safe fortification to continue his dark vile deeds. After a couple of decades, Kassapu was killed by his ... brother (with the beautiful name Moggallan). If you go into bloody details, then Kassapa, having such a high and strong shelter, turned out to be so stupid that he perched on an elephant and, taking his army, went out to fight Moggallan and his army. The defeated king, facing reprisals, hastily laid hands on himself.

Or here's another option:

King Datusen (459-477) had two sons. The eldest is Kassapa, the youngest is Mogallan. The eldest was supposed to inherit the throne, but the father decided to transfer the reign to Mogallan, since Kassapa was the son of one of the many concubines. Kassapa became very angry and in 477, in a fit of anger, he killed his father. Mogalan, fearing that the same fate awaits, fled to South India.

Fearing revenge, Kassapa decided to build a capital in hard to reach place. The rock of Sigiriya became such a place - its height is almost 200 meters. The chosen place was cleared, and in a short time was erected a beautiful city with many gardens and fountains.

Kassapa ruled this fortress for 18 years and finally decided to fight with his brother. He sent him a challenge, and he accepted it. Two huge armies met on the plain. But luck was not on the side of Kassapa, his troops fled. Left alone, Kassapa cut his own throat. Thus ended the history of the great city on the top of Sigiriya: Mogallan ordered to erase all traces of his brother's rule by destroying the citadel. old capital Anaradhapura was rebuilt again.

In general, archaeologists authoritatively assert that approximately 1000 years before Kassapa, Buddhist monks had already chosen the Lion Rock and, in general, the rock and its surroundings did not stop attracting people for life and prayer for many hundreds of years before and after the moment when Sigiriya was a shelter. It is interesting that with its role as the protector of the king, the rock coped very conditionally. Although, in addition to sentinel platforms with guards, fortifications were built on the top, from which at any moment it was possible to drop huge stone boulders on the attackers. The mountain turned out to be more suitable as a haven for religious cults.

Of course, the main attraction of this place is the mountain palace, located at an altitude of 200 meters.

Archaeologists suggest that the palace was built at the end of the 4th century. The initiator of the construction was a parricide monarch named Kasapa, who fled to these remote places, fearing the revenge of his brother - the real heir.

Sigiriya during prehistoric times had its inhabitants and was used as a mountain refuge monastery from around the 5th century BC, with caves and monasteries. The garden and the palace were built a little later by King Kasapa. After the death of Kasapa, the place again became a monastery until the 14th century, after which it was abandoned. The Sigiri inscriptions were deciphered by the archaeologist Senarat Paranavitana in his famous work published at Oxford. He also wrote the popular book The History of Sigiriya.

The Sigiriya rock, 370 meters above sea level, is formed from the magma of an extinct and long-term collapsing volcano. The rock rises high above the surrounding plain, visible for miles in all directions. The rock, resting on a steep embankment, rises above a flat plain.

Researchers believe that even before the construction of the mountain palace, people settled here (mostly monks and hermits). The palace became a monastery after the death of Kasapa, and a few decades later it was completely abandoned by people.

The story begins with the earliest evidence of human presence in Sigiriya, which was found in the mountain shelter of Aligala in the eastern part of the cliff. These finds prove that the area was inhabited almost five thousand years ago during the Mesolithic. During the third century BC, there were mountain shelters-caves arranged by Buddhist monks. These structures were built between the third century BC and the first century AD.

During the reign of King Kasapa from 477 to 495 AD, Sigiriya was developed into a complex city, becoming impregnable fortress Yu. Most of the complex structures on the highlands, including defensive structures, palaces and gardens, date back to the reign of Kasapa.

The complex of structures on the mountain is impressive due to the combination of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements. It seems that there is no order in the buildings of the Sigiriya Palace, but in general they all harmoniously combine with each other.

Kasapa ceased to rule in 495 AD, and Sigiriya again turned into a Buddhist monastery - the monks were here until the fourteenth century. After these events, no mention of Sigiriya was discovered until the seventeenth century, when the area became the Kingdom of Kandy. When Kandy's reign ended, Lion Rock was abandoned again.

Archaeological work started here in the 1890s. H.C.P Bell was the first archaeologist to conduct an extensive survey of the area around Sigiriya. Large-scale research began in 1982, initiated by the government of Sri Lanka

Of course, today only ruins remain of the palace, but even these remnants of its former grandeur are impressive. In the western part palace complex There was a park with several pools. Water was delivered to the top of the mountain using a system of mechanisms that has survived intact to this day.

ancient castle, built by Kasyapa, has survived on the top of the hill to this day, as well as parts of the fortress. Despite their age, some of the solutions of the palace builders are still striking in their ingenuity - water storage tanks still hold water, and the moats and walls surrounding the palace are still graceful and beautiful.

The gardens of Sigiriya are the most central part this area, as it is one of the most well-maintained gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct areas: water gardens, rock gardens, and terraced gardens.

The famous part of Sigiriya is the mirror wall. Initially, this wall was so well polished that the king could see himself while walking next to it. The wall is made of special porcelain, and is partially covered with poems scribbled by visitors. Lion rock. The oldest of the Sigiriya verses date back to the 8th century. Many visitors wrote on the wall about love, irony and various events.

Entrance to the main part ancient city, that is, to the palace, was decorated with lion paws and was probably intended only for members of the royal dynasty. Initially, the entrance was a lion's head, that is, to get into the palace, it was necessary to go through an open mouth! Unfortunately, time did not spare such a unique gate...

One of the main tasks in organizing defense at such an impressive height was the task of collecting and preserving water in the quantity and quality in which it was required by the king, army and servants. In the city, at the foot of the cliff, a double moat was dug, in the city baths, ponds and fountains were filled. At that time, the L-shaped pool system implemented in Sigiriya was a real engineering miracle! And even underground, it was possible to organize pipes for supplying water from the fortress moats to the remote ends of the city. The pipes were made from fired clay.

The mirror corridor led to the royal chambers. Once it was one of the most luxurious premises of the Sigiriya Palace. There were several hundred frescoes here, most of which depicted half-naked women - the ruler's concubines. It is worth noting that several frescoes have survived to this day.

The ancient temple on top of the cliff was a gigantic art gallery, frescoes covered most western slope rocks, occupying an area 140 meters long and 40 meters high. Now many of the frescoes of Sigiriya are lost forever, but the style of this painting is considered unique and inimitable. Sigiriya is the most valuable asset of Sri Lanka, therefore it is in a special account with the government.

Of course, the colors on them have faded, but the images on them can still be seen. Researchers believe that natural paints based on beeswax and egg white were used to create these frescoes. This, according to scientists, gave the frescoes such durability.

By themselves, the pictures depicting girls on the ceilings in the rock at a height of about 100 meters are nothing more than pretty drawings. Surprised by their quantity and quality of performance. The frescoes at some point in the history of Sigiriya tried to be washed away. About who exactly is depicted in the frescoes: a queen with servants or girls mourning the death of a king with flowers or heavenly nymphs, which are part of the mythical stories of Sri Lanka, scientists still argue. Now you can see only 21 girls, but the traces left at different stages of rock painting speak of 500 girls painted on a 140 meters long section of the rock!

From the mountain "lion rock" opens great view to nearby neighborhoods. From here, as in the palm of your hand, lie rice fields, forests and small lakes. Once on this hill there was a royal pool along with a huge throne.

For a long time, the Sigiriya Palace was considered destroyed and lost somewhere in the forests, but in the middle of the 19th century it was discovered. A lot of restoration work was carried out here, which are still ongoing. The Mountain Palace has been listed world heritage UNESCO, and is very popular among tourists. Every year thousands of travelers come here to see the ruins of the ancient palace with their own eyes!

Indeed, the history of the emergence of Sigiriya is shrouded in numerous legends. In the fifth century AD, Kasapa (477-495), the eldest son of King Datusena (459-477), was supposed to inherit the throne, but the father decided in favor of the youngest son Mogallan (Kasapa's mother was a concubine). Kasapa was inflamed with hatred for his father and imprisoned him, and in 477 participated in his death. Mogallana was horrified by the terrible deeds of his older brother and fled to South India. Fearing revenge, Kasapa decided to build a capital in an inaccessible place. And he chose the rock of Sigiriya, 370 m high.

The king and his architects cleared a place around the rock and built magnificent city surrounded by gardens with fountains and pools. They built the most amazing stairs in the world: the steps are carved between the paws, throat and jaws of the incredible size of a lion. The lion is the emblem of the state and a form of intimidation. The part of the rock, above the lion's head, was painted with images of Kasapa and his father Datusena. At the top of the rock was built a palace - a citadel. The citator begins with a "platform of a lion", from which only paws remain. Steps lead to a 1.7-hectare terrace where the palace once stood. From the gigantic figure of a lion carved into the rock, the mouth of which once served as the entrance to the fortress, only paws survived, but on the surface of the rock, the most curious poetic inscriptions left by visitors to Sigiriya, starting from the 8th century, are still preserved.

According to the description of travelers, the pediment of the palace, built of marble and surrounded by gardens and ponds, was laid out precious stones. The gigantic royal throne is well preserved. It is impossible not to be surprised at how the builders of those times raised the necessary building materials onto the rock. Brick walls were erected along the edges of the cliff with narrow platforms for sentries, where they could not sleep, risking falling. The stones on the rock were always ready in case of someone's intrusion. One of them is still holding on, ready to fall.

Travelers also describe a frescoed gallery and a "mirror wall" polished with a mineral. The frescoes depicting a procession of princesses or palace ladies as if floating in the air, and covered with a mixture of egg white and wild bee honey, have retained their bright colors.

No one knows who they are, perhaps just a figment of the artist's imagination. They wore rich jewelry, tiaras support their hair, and flowers in their hands. Frescoes occupied the entire wall of the gallery. Unfortunately, only 18 out of 500 frescoes have survived. The scratches on the "mirror wall" next to the gallery are simple poems dedicated to the beauty of these women.

The western and southern slopes are divided into terraces, where the premises for servants and guards were located. On the western slope, two flights of steps lead up to the rock. One staircase passes next to a cave dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite, whose figurine was discovered here in the 12th century during the reign of King Parakramabahu. A huge dissected boulder attracts attention, on one half of which a water tank is hollowed out. On the other, fallen half, there is a throne and a square platform where meetings of a member of the council of ministers may have taken place.

According to another version, theatrical performances were staged here. In a cave below a boulder called the "hood of a cobra", traces of ancient painting on the ceiling - a biography of Kasapa. Among the boulders around the rock, several places of a religious nature were found. cave temple contains an undated torso of a Buddha statue on which monks meditated. Preaching Rock, a huge boulder from which sermons were delivered, has a huge number of miniature niches where oil lamps were lit at noon...

For 18 years of ruling from the top of the cliff, Kasapa imagined himself the master of the universe. Confident in his strength, he sent a message to his brother, who had returned from India with an army, that he wanted to fight him on the plain. But the decision was unsuccessful. In the midst of the battle, the elephant of Kasapa moved to the nearest pond to drink water. The army decided that the king was fleeing and began to retreat. Left alone, Kasapa cut his own throat. Mogallana destroyed the citadel, destroying the traces of the former owner, and, taking power into his own hands, restored the capital in Anurahapura.

Restoration work is underway now. Based on literary evidence and archaeological excavations, there is another version of the appointment of Sigiriya. Meteorological data since 1895 indicate that the wind and rain of the two monsoons stopped field work for 8 months of the year. February-March are the only months when construction work is possible in this region of the country.

Of the 18 years of Kasapa's reign, only five years remain for construction, and this includes such colossal work as: clearing the terrain, transporting marble, making and firing bricks, gouging niches in the rock to fix bricks, building a gallery and "mirror wall", preparing the rock surface for painting, working on top of a rock, not to mention building around the rock itself. Even if we imagine that thousands of workers were involved, it is practically impossible to complete all these grandiose works in such a short time.

The palace theory also does not stand up to scrutiny. During excavations on the top of the rock, a rectangular platform measuring 13 x 7 m was found, which was unconditionally recognized as the palace of Kasapa. But if this is a palace, then why are there no traces of the presence of rooms, toilets, columns, recesses for columns? The remains of a tiled roof were also not found, but a vessel was found in which the relics were kept. How could a tiled roof withstand the onslaught of monsoon winds and rains? The giant stone-hewn throne south of the platform and at a lower level is the only structure on the summit that shows signs of a once-existing roof (or canopy) protected by a vertically rising stone wall. In 1833, a stupa was discovered on the top, which existed at the beginning of our century; now this place is marked with pegs. Archaeologists have found at least 2 periods of construction at the top of the rock and 5 at the bottom. If the palace and gardens of Sigiriya are the work of Kasapa, then who is responsible for the other 4 periods of construction activity?

The ruling monarchs were the patrons of the faith. The order of monks enjoyed great privileges in the form of royal subsidies, prestige and patronage. Archaeological excavations confirm that already in the II century. BC, there was a large monastic complex here, as evidenced by the presence of a large number of cave temples on the western and northern slopes (excavations have not yet been carried out on the southern and eastern slopes). Inscriptions from the 2nd century AD were found in one of the caves. given this, one cannot even allow the thought that Kasapa, in a difficult situation for himself, would decide to go into conflict with the monks only in order to build a palace on top of a rock. The presence of the army on the territory of the monastery is also impossible. On the contrary, the king, the army and the population had to support and protect the guardians of the teachings of the Buddha in every possible way, which Kasapa did. Kasapa could not cut the branch on which he sat. During this period of time, the Temple of the Tooth Relic and the relic itself (a symbol of royalty) were located in Anuradhapura, where the government was also located. In Anuradhapura, Kasapa built several temples, including the Kasub temple - Bo-Upulvan (in honor of the god Vishnu). All these facts speak for the fact that Kasapa visited Sigiriya, but could not live there.

This rock was also all in gardens, including terraced ones. Artificial pools for water everywhere - from top to bottom. And the entire water engineering system is able to operate even now. It is not always clear how it is inside, in the rock, but it works. Outside, you can only see cut drains to drain water, they are in all the caves along the road.

It is unlikely that the construction work of Kasapa in Sigiriya, the patron of the Mahayana sect (the liberal direction of Buddhism), could be approved in the Mahavamsa chronicles, which mainly describe the history of Buddhism and the relationship of the ruling monarchs with the church, from which we learn the history of Sigiriya and which were written in the 13th century by the Theravada sect (the teaching of the elders is the orthodox direction of Buddhism). The gap of seven centuries between events and their recording was in the hands of chroniclers: it is much more convenient to distort real events and expose Kasapa in a false light as a crazy genius than to glorify his adherence to a hostile direction of Buddhism. The Theravada movement denies the existence of savior gods, whose main mission is to alleviate our suffering in this life.

The meaning of the painting of Sigiriya can be understood only when the purpose of the complex itself is clear. Usually, painting performs a certain role: decorative (as, for example, obo), or trying to make an impact, to convey some specific idea, not necessarily understandable to mere mortals. Taking into account that the complex is the center of the Mahayana sect, it is not difficult to guess who is depicted in the frescoes. One of the most respected and revered goddesses of the Mahayana sect is the goddess Tara, the star, the mother of all Buddhas. But why are there so many images of the same face on Sigiriya rock? Repetition, a very popular way of expressing feelings in Buddhist art, conveys the magical power of the deity, not through colossal size, but through repeated repetition, the sense of infinity. Examples of this are found in India, Central Asia, China, Indonesia, Burma.

One such example in Sri Lanka is the Dambulla Cave Temple. The inscriptions on the "mirror wall", left mainly by visitors of the 8th-10th centuries, mention the place as Sihigiri - the Rock of Remembrance. And the chronicles of the 13th century Mahavamsa call the rock Sihigiri - the Rock of the Lion. Believers, rising to the gallery, to the "lion's platform" and finally to the top of the rock, constantly saw before their eyes the image of the goddess Tara.

Visually representing the goddess and worshiping her, believers hoped that Tara would alleviate their suffering and show the way to salvation. Sigiriya is a reminder to believers of Tara, hence the name Rock of Remembrance. The call to meditation is the meaning of the painting of Sigiriya, the patroness of which was the goddess Tara.

According to eyewitness accounts of the 19th century, the steps, starting from the “lion platform”, were decorated with sculptures of lions. Examples of the identification of the goddess Tara with a roaring lion are found in India (Ghost, M - The development of Buddhist iconography eastern india: 1980). As time went on, Tara was forgotten ordinary people. This is supported by the fact that visitors from the 10th century and later no longer mentioned Tara, but identified the women in the frescoes with the wives of Kasapa, which was encouraged by the propaganda of the Theravada sect.

Given the above facts, we can conclude: Sigiriya has never been either a capital or a fortress. It was the aesthetically planned monastic complex of the Mahayana Buddhist sect for more than 20 centuries. It was easier to lead a righteous life surrounded by beautiful scenery and favorable climate. Powerful ramparts with moats diverted excess rainwater outside the territory of the monastery, which would otherwise have been flooded. The so-called palace was nothing more than open room for meditation, and flowering gardens and ponds created an ideal environment for this. Tanks with water for ritual ablutions and decorative purposes are not an exceptional phenomenon in Buddhist temples and monasteries.

Among the most remarkable aspects of Sigiriya's urban design are its mathematically based planning and absolute clarity of design. The city plan is based on an exact square module. All buildings and structures are located strictly in relation to the center of coordinates - the palace complex on top of the cliff. Eastern and western entrances clearly correspond to the east-west axis. The royal water gardens, moats and ramparts of the western zone are based on an 'echo' or "mirror" plan which duplicates the arrangement on both sides between north and south from east to west. In its complete concept, Sigiriya is a brilliant combination of symmetry and asymmetry in a block of geometric planning and natural form.

Often with low cloud cover at the top, there is an extraordinary effect when the cloud lies on top of the rock and people walk waist-deep in white clouds. It makes you feel like you're walking in heaven. This unusual effect shocks even experienced travelers.

For a very long time, the Sigiriya fortress was known only according to legend. They thought it no longer exists. However, in the middle of the 19th century, the ruins of this great structure were discovered. Now active work is underway to restore Sigiriya. The monument is under the protection of UNESCO.

Today, Sri Lanka and the top of Sigiriya are incredibly popular: every year thousands of people from all over the world come here to look at one of the wonders of antiquity, which has survived to this day.

Sigiriya which means in Senegalese lion rock- This is a ruined ancient fortress located in the mountains, which still retains the remains of palace buildings. It is located in the center 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 direction is very popular among tourists coming to Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is also famous for its ancient frescoes.

Enlarged map (Google maps)

Sorry, the map is temporarily unavailable

Mount Sigiriya on google map maps.

The rock of Sigiriya 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 begun to collapse. The height is 370 meters above sea level.

Aerial view of Sigiriya:

Sigiriya was inhabited in prehistoric times and even then was used as a mountain monastery of 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, this place began to function again 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, any mention of Sigiriya disappears and reappears 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 the reign of Kandy, people again leave the Lion Rock.

Archaeologists have begun their work here since the 1890s. Bell was the first archaeologist to conduct extensive research around Sigiriya. The Sri Lankan government began larger studies as early as 1982.

Sigiriya has become one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. We tried to collect more information about it unique place, and we invite you to take a tour of the history of Sigiriya, at the same time, and appreciate its beauty.

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

The very first mention of Sigiriya goes back to ancient times. The writings that date back to the period BC say that the fortress-monastery was built of 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 lord was the ten-headed monster Ravana, captured the island. For his pleasure, Ravana kidnapped the beautiful wife of Prince 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 at that time in these places, 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, leaving for India. Kassapa, who was left without competitors for the royal throne, calmed down and set about arranging the territory he had inherited 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 keep the defense.

18 years pass. During this time, King Kassapa created a chic palace on an impregnable fortress, and planted many beautiful and cozy gardens under the rock. Archaeologists believe that the first fountains on Earth were built in these gardens. Kassapa relaxed and imagined himself a 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 for his flight, devoted all his time to improving his military abilities and gathering an army. He understood that the struggle would be difficult and waited until he got stronger.

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

Attractions of Sigiriya.

I don’t know how to explain it, but despite the order to destroy everything, many elements of structures and even structures have been completely preserved to this day. Tourists will find a lot of interesting things here.

So from a huge lion carved into the rock, whose mouth was once the entrance to the fortress, only 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, the cisterns to save water still hold it.

King's Throne:

Lion paws:

View from the mountain to the surrounding gardens:

Climbing Sigiriya:

In the ruined palace:

One of the main attractions of Sigiriya is the mirror wall. During the time of King Kassapa, it was so polished that the king, passing by, saw his own reflection. The wall is made of a special type of porcelain. Part of it today is “decorated” with inscriptions and poems left by visitors to the Lion Rock. The oldest inscriptions date back to the eighth century. Nowadays, "painting" the walls is prohibited.

Mirror Rock:

Sigiriya is one of the unique landscapes of Sri Lanka. An imposing lone rock proudly rises above the surrounding plain. At the top of the rock in ancient times life was in full swing - already before our era there were shelters of monks, and later, during the reign of King Kasapa (477-495), Sigiriya turned into a complex city, becoming an impregnable fortress. Basically, the remains of buildings on the rock, including defensive structures, palaces and gardens, date back to the reign of Kasapa.

Everything built at that time, even in a destroyed form, surprises with ingenuity and grace. Functional water cisterns still collect water, incredible gardens of a rare layout keep the remnants of luxury. Everyone, without exception, is struck by the famous mirror wall, made of a special material and covered with ancient verses. And the ancient temple on the rock has a valuable collection of unusual frescoes of a rather frivolous content.

The grandeur of the Kasapa palace complex still leaves an incredible impression, and it is rightfully included in the list of rare and especially valuable historical objects of Sri Lanka.

Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was opened in 1975 on the Maha Oya River. The main goal pursued by the creators of the park was to save the orphaned elephants, who were expected to die imminently if they had remained in wild nature. Thanks to the successful work of the shelter staff, today over eighty elephants live here, many of which are the offspring of the very first elephants that the nursery sheltered.

The Pinnawala Orphanage contains the most a large number of elephants in captivity. In many respects, this became possible due to the increased attention from tourists - all the money received from the sale of entrance tickets goes to the maintenance of elephants: after all, each adult eats 72 kilograms of grass per day, as well as 2 kilograms of rice and bran.

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Sigiriya mountain plateau

Sigiriya - the famous mountain plateau in the center of Sri Lanka, on which the ruins of the eponymous ancient fortress and the remains of a Buddhist monastery in a cave. Sigiriya is a popular tourist attraction on the island and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.

The word "sigiriya" in translation means "lion rock". This plateau rises almost two hundred meters above the ground. The first fortification appeared here at the end of the fifth century - King Kasapa ordered the construction of an impregnable fortress on the mountain, which soon became the royal residence. In ancient times it was unusual a nice place- picturesque gardens were laid out around Sigiriya and fountains were built, which were considered among the first in the world. The famous Lion Gate led to the top of the plateau, only partially preserved to this day.

Today Sigiriya is historical monument. Beyond the survivors lion gate on the top of the plateau, the remains of an ancient fortress and royal palace as well as the ruins cave monastery. On the rock, you can still see old frescoes and poems carved on stone. In addition, a wonderful view of the surroundings opens up from the top of the plateau, which also attracts many tourists here.

Sigiriya (Lion Rock) is an ancient mountain ruined fortress with the remains of a palace, located in the central region of Matale in Sri Lanka. The fortress is surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, pools, and other structures. This is the most popular tourist destination Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is also known for its ancient frescoes. The fort was built during the reign of King Kasapa I (477 - 495 AD) and is one of the Seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. We tried to find as much information as possible about this place and we invite you to take an excursion into the history of Sigiriya and admire its beauties.

Sigiriya has been inhabited during prehistoric times and has been used as a mountain retreat monastery since about the 5th century BC, with caves and monasteries. The garden and the palace were built a little later by King Kasapa. After the death of Kasapa, the place again became a monastery until the 14th century, after which it was abandoned. The Sigiri inscriptions were deciphered by the archaeologist Senarath Paranavitana in his famous work published at Oxford. He also wrote the popular book "The History of Sigiriya"

Rock Sigiriya- a powerful formation from the magma of an extinct and long-destroying volcano. The rock rises high above the surrounding plain, visible for miles in all directions. The rock rests on a steep embankment that rises sharply above the flat plain that surrounds it. The height of the rock is 370 meters above sea level

Let's move on to the history of this place: The earliest evidence of human presence in Sigiriya was found in the mountain shelter of Aligala in the eastern part of the cliff. These findings indicate that the area was inhabited almost five thousand years ago during the Mesolithic. During the third century BC, there were mountain shelters-caves arranged by Buddhist monks. These buildings were built between the third century BC and the first century AD.

During the reign of King Kasapa from 477 to 495 AD, Sigiriya was developed into a complex city, becoming an impregnable fortress. Most of the complex structures on the highlands, including defensive structures, palaces and gardens, date back to the reign of Kasapa.

Kasapa was defeated in 495 AD, Sigiriya again turned into a Buddhist monastery - the monks were here until the fourteenth century. Thereafter, no mention of Sigiriya was discovered until the seventeenth century, when the area became the Kingdom of Kandy. When Kandy's reign ended, Lion Rock was abandoned again.

Archaeological work here began in the 1890s. H.C.P Bell was the first archaeologist to conduct an extensive survey of the area around Sigiriya. Large-scale research began in 1982, initiated by the government of Sri Lanka

The ancient castle built by Kasyapa has survived on the top of the hill to this day, as well as parts of the fortress. Despite their age, some of the solutions of the palace builders are still striking in their ingenuity - water storage tanks still hold water in themselves, and the moats and walls surrounding the palace are still graceful and beautiful.

The gardens of Sigiriya are the most central part of this area, as they are one of the most landscaped gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct areas: water gardens, rock gardens, and terraced gardens.

The famous part of Sigiriya is the mirror wall. Initially, this wall was so well polished that the king could see himself while walking next to it. The wall is made of special porcelain china, and is partly covered with poems scribbled by visitors to Lion Rock. The oldest of the Sigiriya verses date back to the 8th century. Many visitors wrote on the wall about love, irony and various events. Later wall painting was banned.

The ancient temple on top of the rock was a giant art gallery, frescoes covered most of the western slope of the rock, covering an area 140 meters long and 40 meters high. Now many of the frescoes of Sigiriya are lost forever, but the style of this painting is considered unique and inimitable. Sigiriya is the most valuable asset of Sri Lanka, and the government protects it in every possible way

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