Sigiriya of Sri Lanka
If you dream of a trip that combines ancient history with breathtaking natural beauty, Sigiriya in Sri Lanka should top your list. Known as the “Lion Rocks,” Sigiriya is one of the island nation’s most spectacular sites, and exploring it is like stepping back in time. The story of Sigiriya begins in the fifth century CE during the reign of Kashyapa I. King Kashyapa who was determined to build a fortress and capital to showcase his power and majesty chose this huge rock for its natural fortifications and for his wonderful mind
The name “Sigiria” means “lion rock”, inspired by the massive lion heads that once guarded the entrance to the royal palace above, although the lion head is now just a shadow of its former self, a ruin still inspires fear though .
It takes about 3-4 hours by car from Colombo while it takes about 2-3 hours from Kandy. The road is beautiful with views of the Sri Lankan countryside.
By train: For a more scenic route, consider taking the train to Habarana, the neighboring town of Sigiriya. You can take a taxi from Haberna to Sigiriya.
By bus: Buses run between Colombo, Kandy and Sigiriya. It’s an easy road to take, but be prepared
Sigiriya Frescoes
After passing the gardens you’ll approach a staircase which slowly winds its way up Sigiriya Lion Rock. One section of the staircase will allow you to view some of the ancient frescoes painted on the Sigiriya cave walls. These paintings are similar to those of the Anuradhapura period but have a distinct style in the way the lines and shadows are drawn.
To add to how impressive these ancient Sigiriya paintings are, it’s believe that the original paintings would have covered the entire face of Sigiriya Lions Rock — an area 140 meters long and 40 meters high.
Definitely take the extra few minutes to view the paintings and try to imagine what Sigiriya Rock would have looked like in all its painted glory thousands of years ago. As John Still suggested in 1907: “The whole face of the hill appears to have been a gigantic picture gallery .the largest picture in the world perhaps
Sigiriya Boulder Gardens
As you enter Sigiriya Lions Rock, you first walk through a series of beautiful gardens as you make your way to the towering Lion’s Rock ahead.
The water gardens, cave and boulder gardens, and terraces gardens at Sigiriya are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world, so be sure to take some time to appreciate them
Sigiriya MIrror Wall
Just past the Sigiriya Frescoes you walk alongside what is known as the “Mirror Wall wall polished so heavily that the king would have been able to see his reflection on the surface. You’ll see names and notes scribbled into the wall, some from as early as the 8th century, by visitors to Sigiriya Lions Rock.
One translated writing reads I am Budal the writer's name Came with hundreds of people to see Sigiriya. Since all the others wrote poems, I did not!” Some things never change.
Further graffiti nowadays is strictly banned in order to protect these ancient writings.
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