SIGIRIYA
Sigiriya is both a palace and a fortress of stunning splendor, and is a tribute to its ingenious builders. Lest we forget to the King who wanted a Sri Lanka Holiday deal in a palace built on the flat top of a rock with a terrace and a mirror wall. The entrance is at mid level, through the Famous Lion gate that gives Sigiriya its name makes it the perfect tailor made holiday Sri Lanka. The frescoes of Heavenly Maidens -some twenty, sensuously captivating beauties who have survived out of nearly 600 date to the time of the playboy King Kashyappa, narrate in paint the pleasures of a pristine past of a land that you have chosen when you decided on your Sri Lanka vacation.Sigiriya is an architectural marvel and a classic example of urban planning in the first millennium. A park laid out on a symmetrical plan to appease Royal indolence and water retaining structures with ingenious surface and subsurface hydraulic systems will surprise you, as most of them function to this day.
The Frescoes – are drawn in a style considered unique. They radiate an ethereal beauty that seduces your senses with a grace that is exquisite despite its antiquity.The Mirror Wall- It is said the Mirror Wall was so polished that the King could see himself when he passed through the ornate terrace in the sky. Its surface suggests that it is made of some form of porcelain. The mirror wall has verses dating from the 8th century wherein they wrote on love, irony, loss and grief.The Gardens of Sigiriya is one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world.The Lion’s Mouth – is the entrance to the palace, with its giant paws still intact. A guide for you to imagine the enormous edifice that it once was and still is on the Sri Lanka Map.
Sigiriya Information and Google Map
PROVINCE : CENTRAL PROVINCE
DISTRICT : MATALE DISTRICT
POPULAR : ANCIENT RUINS, ROCK FORTRESS,THE WATER
GARDENS, FRESCOS
WEATHER : 32 °C
PHOTO GALLERY
Cultural Triangle
The Cultural Triangle is found on Sri Lanka’s central plains and encompasses Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, and Dambulla. It is here that the country’s kings gave rise to a great civilization based on agriculture and Buddhism. These kings also treasured the ancient healing wisdom of Ayurveda, which remains a preferred health care in rural areas. Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s first capital, was the greatest monastic city of the ancient world and was ruled from the 4C BC to 11C AD by more than 100 Sri Lankan kings. Polonnaruwa became Sri Lanka’s royal medieval capital in 1073 where the Sinhalese king Vijayabahu I followed by Parakramabahu I, ruled. It remained Sri Lanka’s capital until the late 13C. Another significant event in Sri Lanka’s history is the introduction of Buddhism to this island in 247 BC: Mihintale is especially inspiring on a full-moon day.
Food & Drink
Sri Lankan rice and curries and western cuisine is served in all the hotels within the Cultural Triangle. Heritance Kandalama is highly regarded for its award-winning cuisine ranging from lunch time buffets to fine dining. Vil Uyana’s Apsara restaurant with views of the Sigiriya rock, offers a la carte menu as well as a vegetarian menu. Mid-range hotels tend to rely largely on buffets; Chaaya Village’s wide choice and good quality gets excellent feedback. More details are in our hotel profiles. There are several wayside eateries and stalls on the way to the Cultural Triangle where a cup of tea or a Thambili (king coconut) – a great thirst quencher, or a cool drink can be purchased.
Shopping
The cultural triangle is not the area to plan a shopping expedition. Watermelon, pumpkin and other dry zone vegetables grown in village gardens as are found in wayside stalls. Groceries, pharmacies, and banks are available in the main towns. Buddha statues are available for purchase in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla.
Events
Vesak in Mihintale: takes place on full moon day in May with remembrance of Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and Prinivanpama (his passing). In June, the festival of Poson is celebrated in remembrance of the introduction of Buddhism Sri Lanka by Mahinda.
Sights
Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle – as the name suggests – is home to a large proportion of historical cultural sites, including some of the island’s most famous and well-preserved ruins such as the medieval city of Polonnaruwa and the 5th century Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Read through our ‘Activities’ section to discover more about the ancient cultural sites in this region.