Sigiriya Rock

The history of Sigiriya dates back to over 5000 thousand years, to the Mesolithic period. One of SriLanka’s major attractions and a World Heritage Site, Sigiriya(Lion Rock) came into prominence in the 5th centaury AD, when the patricidal King Kasyapa, afraid of reprisals led by his half - brother, Mogolan, chose to move the seat of power from Anuradhapura to this 500m rock. It was Kasyapa and his master-builders who were responsible for the complex plan which made Sigiriya the glorious capital it was, for 17 years (477 – 495 AD). The frescoes of the ‘ heavenly maidens ‘ halfway up the rock in a sheltered gallery, are the only painted renderings of a secular subject in this country.The ‘ mirror wall ‘, which records the poetic outpourings of early visitors to the rock and the colossal plan of the royal palace, water gardens and fortifications, is entirely fascinating.