Sigiriya Sri Lanka

Sigiriya, recognized as a World Heritage, is at the top of all the tourist spots preferred by those who visit Sri Lanka. Created about 2 billion years ago, this place in Sri Lanka attracts thousands of tourists due to its archaeological significance. Sigiriya is a wonderful creation of nature and human imagination.

The ancient fortress of Sigiriya is located between the cities of Dambulla and Habarane at an altitude of 200 meters above ground level and 370 meters above sea level. From the mid-3rd century AD to 477 AD, these rocks housed Buddhist statues. Then in the second half of the 5th century, King Kasyapa ordered the construction of a royal palace here on the rock. The fort and surrounding palaces, gardens and other structures carry the history of that time.

Basically this rock is molten magma, which has solidified into rock. Once there were numerous volcanoes but now only Sigiria Rock and Pidurangala Rock remain. On the northern side of the rock is a narrow road where a lion's footprint was found in 1858, since then the place has been called Sigiriya. Sigiriya comes from the word 'Sinha Giri' and means lion stone.

The most remarkable aspect of the architecture of the Sigiriya fort is that it is designed on a square module. There are red stone forts and ruins of an ancient palace surrounded by gardens, water tanks and other ancient structures. The fort wall has been built over an area of ​​about 15 hectares near the rock. A terrace has been made on the slope of the hill by cutting stones and there is a terraced garden next to this stone, which is very popular with tourists.

Moreover, the whole place is rich in archeology, there is a Royal Park on the western side of the fort, it would not be wrong to call it Anand Bagan. An ancient pool here makes the place more attractive. The Royal Park is surrounded by three forts and two moats.

The curved staircase leading to the upper gallery of Sigiriya is known primarily for frescoes. There are paintings of buxom women and paintings of a woman believed to represent King Kashyap's consort. Sigiriya frescoes flank a stone wall with a smooth coating of glass, where tourists like to write their own impressions of the place. It is therefore called “mirror wall” or “mirror wall”.

Sigiriya rock climbing is a thrilling experience for anyone. Usually it takes about 1 hour to climb this rock, but if the number of tourists is high, it may take a little more time to climb in the crowd. If you want to see the beautiful view of the sunrise from here, you must go early in the morning because the weather here gets hotter as the day progresses. Cobra Hood Cave here is another special attraction for tourists.

1 km north of Sigiriya Rock is Pidurangula Rock. A 20-minute hike is required to reach the top of this rock. There are several small temples and a 12.5 meter high revolving Buddhist statue. Both sunrise and sunset are beautiful from here. So if you have time and effort you can climb to the top of this rock.

Also Read : Sri Lanka Nuwara Eliya Travel Guide

Next to Sigiriya is the Minneriya National Park, during the summer months elephants come from the mountains to this park. There is also a lot of wildlife here. The entire area can be explored by safari jeep for an entry fee.

Close to Sigiriya is Kaudulla National Park, Sigiriya Museum (here you can learn about the history and information of Sigiriya Fort), Dambulla Cave Temple, Anuradhapura, Mihintale (the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, there are several preserved temples and statues). And if you have time, you can go to Polonnaruwa town by crossing the road for 1 hour.

Timings: Sigiriya rock climbing office is open from 7 am to 5.30 pm.

Climbing the rock costs Sri Lankan Rupees 50 for locals and $30 for non-Sri Lankan tourists (Sri Lankan Rupees 5000).

Sigiriya can be reached by plane, bus or taxi from Colombo, Sri Lanka. Colombo to Sigiriya is 177 km, takes 4-5 hours depending on the vehicle. It takes about 1 hour to go to Sigiriya by taxi from Colombo Airport to Sigiriya Airport by plane. And in case of going by train, one can take a taxi to Sigiriya from Colombo Fort Station to Habarana Railway Station. It takes an hour and a half. By bus, take a bus from Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal to Dambulla then take a taxi to Sigiriya. Bus leaves every 15 minutes from 6.30 am to 6 pm. It takes 4 hours.

There are several hotels and homestays to stay in Sigiriya. For example - Maheshma Homestay, Sigiriya Safari Homestay, Alia Hotel & Spa, Iho Banana Rest, Green House Resort, Dhanusi Homestay, Bandula Home Stay, Da Nilamoni Lodge, Green Wood Hotel Sigiriya will get a room for 2 people between Tk 400-550.

Feature Image : Anoma Jayaratne