Sigiriya
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Sigiriya is Sri Lanka's single most dramatic sight and there is no second word about it. Sigiriya is referred by locals as the Eighth Wonder of the World this ancient palace and fortress complex has significant archaeological importance and attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is probably the most visited tourist destination in Sri Lanka.
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Sigiriya is located in the northern Mathale district near the Dambulla town. The name refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 meters (660 ft) high. According to ancient Sri Lankan chronicle, the Mahayana , Sigiriya was selected as the new capital by king Kashyapa. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock, he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure - Sinhagiri; the lion's rock.
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This place is very much famous for Sigiri paintings, the Sigiriya mirror wall and for ancient sigiri ponds. The palace and fortress complex is recognized as one of the finest examples of ancient urban planning. Considering the uniqueness of Sigiriya UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site in 1982. Sigiriya is an unmatched combination of urban planning, water engineering, horticulture, and arts.
HIGHLIGHTS
Sigiriya Paintings
Amazing drawings of women can be seen in the rock. Yet it remains a question how could those arts exist such a long period of time.
Mirror Wall
This was was a place for visitors to comment on the women in the gallery in the past. The wall is about 3m in height.
Royal Garden
The base of the Sigiriya rock is a beautifully landscaped area dotted with formal water features, terraced gardens and natural boulders that were once home to numerous Buddhist shrines.
Water Gardens
In the path from Sigiriya entrance to rock there is a series of water gardens with curved tanks, bathing pools, little islands.
Lion's Paws
In the bottom of the Sigiri rock, there you can see huge lion's paws. It is said that the rock was named after those paws.
Sigiriya Museum
The museum provides an excellent overview and explaining Sigiriya's cultural importance beyond the obvious natural beauty
Pidurangala
This is a hill located near Sigiriya. A beautiful view of the Sigiriya rock can be seen from here.
Many climb this mountain to take phictures of the Sigiriya rock.
Kandalama Lake
This is a lake located near Sigiriya. You can have a nice bath from this tank after being tired.
GALLERY
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