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Sigiriya

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(0)662 231 821
(0)662 231 821
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13 reviews of Sigiriya

Amazing ancient ruins and stunning views

Sigiriya is an ancient palace-fort complex located on top of a massive rock which towers over the humid jungles near Dambullah, Sri Lanka. The caves found throughout the rock were originally used by ascetic monks as far back as 3,000 years ago, but the site didn't take on its role as palace-fort until the reign of the flamboyant King Kasyapa in the 5th century.

The site itself is really divided into three sections: the lower gardens, the middle landing (where you'll find the famous Lion's Gate), and the palace located at the very top of the rock itself. As you make the sweaty and, at time, vertigo-inducing hike to the top, you'll pass by manicured gardens studded with ancient pools, caves containing the famous Sigiriya Frescoes, the imposing Lion's Gate, and an endless amount of small side trails leading to unknown caves, hidden relics, and stunning lookout points.


To reach the very top of the citadel, you need to climb a series of steep metal stairs that have been bolted directly to the sheer rock face. Once you arrive, though you'll be greeted by absolutely breathtaking views of the surrounding jungle and the lower gardens. As far as the ruins themselves go, only the foundations are still standing so it's difficult to get a good idea of what the fort-palace was like a millennium ago. Still, the entire complex is beautiful and should definitely rank at the top of your to-do list in Sri Lanka.
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They are situated on top of the giant rock that dominates the surrounding landscape

Finally, after an hour of climbing, we reached the ruins of Sigiriya. They are situated on top of the giant rock that dominates the surrounding landscape. Going up is not as awful as it sounds, because it is very windy and that cools you down so you donĀ“t feel so hot. Halfway up, you see a break in the wonderful cave rock paintings, and half an hour later you reach the top. The ancient capital city of Sri Lanka has been built as a series of terraces. It is a huge amount of work, and until now not very much has been discovered about the architecture and engineering of this place. You can see the remains of houses and administrative buildings of the city, plus a series of tanks that were used to collect rain water for the entire city. If you go down via the various terraces, you have to climb back to take the same road that you took to go up. At the bottom, in the museum, it is interesting to see the model of the rock and how the city is organized.


Sigiriya is a big rock, a bit like Ayers Rock in Australia, rising up as if from nowhere a few miles north of Badulla. The entrance fee is $ 25, or you can buy the Cultural Triangle pass that costs $ 50 and includes other ruins of interest. It took a while to get there on public transport from Badulla, because the van was really busy and stopped at every corner to try to let more people on. We checked our bags in at the box office, and went off to climb. This place has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site, and it is wonderful. At 200m high, the ancient kings built a real city, with an irrigation system and incredible defense. It was warm but the wind was so strong it was difficult to climb to the top. Do not forget your water and your sunscreen. Halfway up there is a cave with wonderful paintings of women of the harem of the king.

The think that Sigiriya was already inhabited in prehistoric times, and that it was used as monasteries within the rock. The capital of the ancient kingdom of Sri Lanka was built by King Kassapa I. It is one of seven UNESCO sites which exist in Sri Lanka. You get to the rock by way of the gardens and then begin to rise, as the city was built on the top of the rock. In the fifth century BC, Sigiriya was a strategic place, perfect for holding real power, because its location on the rock made it almost impossible to assault. Several giant stones around the site gave additional protection. The capital was moved from here to Anuradhapura in 495.
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