Spanning a proud history of more than 2500 years, the island nation of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, has much to offer for the history buff. There are such wonderful remnants scattered around the country from the great stupas in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to the royal palace in Kandy and the magnificent rock fortress in Sigiriya. The latter is one that has garnered much attention of tourists the world over, as it is also considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World.
The Sigiriya Rock Fortress lies about 4 hours away from Colombo, where the Bandaranaike International Airport is located in. Since it’s a long journey the best option would be to first check in at nearby Sigiriya hotel the likes of the Jetwing Vil Uyana resort; relax and then set off to explore the fortress.
Standing at an impressive 660 feet in height, the Sigiriya Rock Fortress was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th Century as a refuge as well as a palace complex. The fortress was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982. The rock fortress is surrounded by a collection of beautiful gardens which are said to be one of the most important aspects of the site, as it they are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. These gardens are categorized into water gardens, boulder gardens and terraced gardens.
At the entrance of the fortress are a giant pair of lion’s paws, and this is what gives the site its name as Sigiriya is derived from the term Sinha Giri or Lion’s Rock. On your way to the top you will get to see the dazzling Mirror Wall where visitors in the past, have written poems on it. There are also beautiful frescoes of women whose identitiy still remain a mystery. The best attraction is seen when you reach the top, and that is the stunning view you will be feasting your eyes on.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.