Sunday 19 January 2020

Sri Lanka | Sigiriya – The Majestic Lion Rock Fortress

A trip to Sri Lanka is never complete without a visit to Sigirya, the famous Lion Rock we have all seen on the internet. It’s the symbol of Sri Lanka, the proud Unesco Heritage site and often considered the eighth wonder of the world. It is also part of the Cultural Triangle route of Sri Lanka along with Kandy, Dambulla, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, making it a popular tourist destination, and perhaps one of the most visited in Sri Lanka.  

For other places of attractions in Sri Lanka, read my travel guide with sample itinerary and cost breakdown ➢ 12 Days Sri Lanka In Less Than RM2.2K - Visa Application, Sample Itinerary & Cost Breakdown



The Story of Sigiriya 

According to the Culavamsa (the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle): 

In 477 CE, King Kashyapa who was then a prince, seized the throne from his father, King Dhatusena, following a coup. King Kashyapa who was the son of a non-royal consort was not a rightful heir to the throne. Monggallana, King Kashyapa’s half brother who was the son of the Queen and the rightful heir to the throne had to flee to South India following the coup, to avoid assassination by King Kashypa, but vowed to return one day to seek revenge and claim the throne. Fearing Mogallana’s return, King Kashyapa moved the capital and his residence from the Anuradhapura to Sigiriya.  

 The summit of Sigiriya provides a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area making it a strategic fortress


A palace and fortress was built on the summit of Sigiriya which provides a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area, giving his forces a strategic advantage if attacked. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock, a gateway in the form of an enormous lion was built. It is this structure that gives name to Sigiriya which means the Lion City.

In the past, one would ascent the stairs into the mouth of a lion head, which has now collapsed

In India, Moggallana raised an army to prepare for an attack on Sigiriya, and in 495 CE, he brought his troop to Sigiriya and declared war. During the battle, King Kashyapa's armies abandoned him and in defeat, he committed suicide by slitting his own throat. Having reclaimed the throne, Moggallana returned the capital to Anuradhapura, and converted Sigiriya into a Buddhist monastery complex, which survived until the 13th or 14th century. After this period, no records are found on Sigiriya until the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was used briefly as an outpost of the Kingdom of Kandy. 

The palace and fortress complex is recognized as one of the finest examples of ancient urban planning. Considering the uniqueness of Sigiriya, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site in 1982. The elaborate constructions on the rock summit and around it, including defensive structures, palaces, and gardens, are full of archaeological importance.   



Getting To Sigiriya 

The easiest way to get to Sigiriya from Polonnaruwa is by going through Dambulla. There is no bus to Sigiriya from Polonnaruwa, so you would need to get to Dambulla, then hire a 30-min tuk tuk or taxi to get to Sigiriya area. We asked the tuk tuk driver to drop us at Polonnaruwa Bus Station, where we took a bus bound for Kandy. The bus will pass by Dambulla, where we alighted and took a tuk tuk to Sigiriya.   



Polonnaruwa Bus Station - Kaduruwela Bus Stand
Address: Ctb station, 55000, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka  

Bus from Polonnaruwa to Dambulla: 2 hours (bus bound for Kandy, ask to alight at Dambulla), LKR 100 per person  
Tuk tuk from Dambulla to Sigiriya Village Hotel: 20 mins, LKR 900 (sharing by 3 person)  


Sigiriya is best visited in the morning to avoid the scorching afternoon sun, so I recommend staying a night in Sigiriya to be as close as possible to the fortress (alternatively, basing yourself in Dambulla could probably be cheaper and have more options). We chose Sigiriya Village Hotel which is located only 30 minutes from Dambulla and 5 minutes away from the lion rock. We could even walk to the lion rock in half an hour but being lazy, we decided to hire a tuk tuk, where we were dropped right at the ticketing counter.  



Sigiriya Rock Foreigner’s Entrance 
Address: Thalkotta Rd, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka 
Opening hours: 7am to 4pm, daily 
Admission fee: USD30 per person (half price for children under 12 years old). South Asian nationals receive substantial 50% discounts on entrance fees, Therefore, if you have a South Asian passport, make sure to carry it with you on your visits. 

Tuk tuk from Sigiriya Village to Sigiriya: 5 mins, LKR 300 (sharing by 3 person)  
Recommended time in Sigiriya: 3 hours 



Highlights of Sigiriya 

Gardens 

The gardens of Sigiriya are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct but linked forms: water gardens, cave and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens.  

➢Water garden  

The Water Gardens are the first part of Sirigiya that visitors encounter as they enter through the west gate. Relatively well preserved, they have been compared to the water gardens of ancient Rome and the Middle East. These water gardens were designed as a pleasure palace, an area reserved for the royal family to relax. Each garden has its own distinctive characteristics.

The water garden is the first thing you pass by as you enter the compound of Sigiriya 

➢Boulder gardens 

The main path from the water gardens leads to the boulder gardens. The boulder gardens consist of several large boulders linked by winding pathways. The gardens extend from the northern slopes to the southern slopes of the hills at the foot of Sigiriya rock. Most of these boulders had a building or pavilion upon them and there are cuttings that were used as footings for brick walls and beams. These were used to be pushed off from the top to attack enemies when they approached.

The main path from the water gardens leads to the boulder gardens

The boulder gardens consist of several large boulders linked by winding pathways

These boulders were used to be pushed off from the top to attack enemies when they approached

Look at the huge boulders!


➢Terraced gardens 

The third set of gardens, the terrace gardens are formed from the natural hill at the base of the Sigiriya rock. A series of terraces rises from the pathways of the boulder garden to the staircases on the rock. The path through the terraced gardens is formed by a limestone staircase. From this staircase, there is a covered path on the side of the rock, leading to the uppermost terrace where the lion staircase is situated.



Mirror Wall 

One of the most striking features of Sigiriya is its Mirror wall. In the past, the wall was polished so thoroughly that the king could see his reflection whilst he walked alongside it. Today, however, the wall is painted with inscriptions and poems from visitors who have visited Sigiriya, some of which date back to the 8th century. These inscriptions and poems describes the feelings of awe that visitors felt when witnessing the beauty and the grandeur of the palace. Today, further writing on the mirror wall now has been banned for the protection of the old writings.

The mirror wall as spotted from below
Seriously this rock is huge and tall

How the people in the past build a fortress high up in a rock this huge is beyond my imagination

As we enter the mirror wall area, there's this big sign to warn us of wasp at the lion staircase ahead

They shield the place to protect the mirror wall 

Plate describing the history of the mirror wall as well as some warning signs

The mirror wall
No touching or drawing on the wall

Here you can admire the view...

...of the water garden

A noob tourist pose with the mirror wall

Frescoes 

At the end of the pathway where the mirror wall, is a spiral stairs led us towards a cave.

The way to the frescoes


The only way to get there is to climb up this spiral staircase


Don't worry, it's safe and you won't plunge to your death


Called, the “Cobra Hood Cave”, it features colourful frescoes depicting nude females holding flowers. The identity of the women were unknown but they are often considered to be either the portraits of Kashyapa’s wives and concubines or priestess performing religious rituals.

At one point, an area measuring 140 meters long and 40 meters high featured over 500 of these maidens. Today, only 18 frescoes remain. The subject of much adoration, many poets who have visited Sigiriya over the centuries have penned their thoughts, and most of these can still be seen today on the Mirror Wall.

Photo from the internet, sadly we cannot photograph this on site

Despite the unknown identity of the females depicted in the frescoes, these unique ancient paintings are celebrating female beauty and have incredible historical significance. 

Do note that photography is prohibited.  



Lion Staircase 

Coming out from the cave, a pathway led us to a large platform where two huge massive stone paws of a lion guards the final staircase leading to the top of the rock.  The lion was what inspired Sigiriya’s name, which means “Lion Rock.” The entry to the staircase used to be through the mouth of a lion but the head of the lion statue collapsed over time, leaving only the paws today.

The lion staircase

Need to climb up to the top


Too tired from climbing up here? 

Or too intimidated by the sight of the stairs ahead of you? 

The platform is a great spot to take a rest before continuing your journey to the top.

Remember the wasp warning sign at mirror wall earlier? There's one here too
  

The view at the top 

After climbing the final staircase, you will finally reach the top of the rock, where the palace of King Kashyapa once stood. The terrace at the top covers 16 hectares, and only the foundation of what could have been buildings in the past, remains today.

Coming up from lion staircase
The terrace

This place is huge

The area is huge but also extremely exposed as there were no shelters, save for some trees.

Found shelter under a big tree

Perfect to chill under the tree, avoiding direct exposure to the sun


Here, you are rewarded with a 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside including Pidurangala Rock. It’s not hard to see why King Kashyapa has chosen this place to build his palace.

View of Pidurangala from the platform
A closer look at Pidurangala
The whole area is great for photo taking and we took tons of them. Let's get the photos to do the talking: 

This view point is every tourist favourite
Beautiful, ain't it?

Most people do yoga pose here but it's too mainstream so i'll just stand

Better still, let's do my signature back-facing pose

Another angle of the view since it's 360 degree view up here
See how big this place is?

I can sit here all day if it wasn't this hot

Ignore my fat bulky thigh

See that big pool at the bottom?

We took photo there too
It's this big!
This could well be a royal bathing pool. Wow, what a view!


I would build myself a fortress here too if I were the King

I had fun taking photo here too

Take #1




Take #2

Take #3

Take #4



Descent 

After spending enough time at the top, we made our way down quickly before the hot scorching sun melted us more. The descent was a lot quicker and we then grab a tuk tuk back to our hotel for check out. We then made our way to Dambulla to visit the famous cave temple. More on that on my next post!  



Some tip and advice 

My biggest advice for Sigiriya is to start early. As the place has no shelter, you will be roasted once you reach the top of the rock around noon. The site is opened as early as 6am, so visiting before 7.30am will make your time there much more enjoyable.

See? Fully exposed top

Also, bring enough water, apply sunscreen, wear a hat or cap and don’t forget to enjoy the view at the top! 

With Fung and MJ, my Sri Lanka travel mates


Getting out of Sigiriya 

Sigiriya is best combined with Dambulla Cave Temple in the same day, with Sigiriya in the morning and Dambulla Cave Temple after lunch. I recommend lunch at Bentota Bake House Dambulla where you can get affordable Sri Lankan curry and local bakery items. It is conveniently located along the way to Dambulla Cave Temple (only 6 minutes away), making it a great stopover.  

;

Bentota Bake House 
Address: A9, Dambulla 21100, Sri Lanka 
Opening hours: 6am – 10.30pm, daily 

Tuk tuk from Sigiriya to Sigiriya Village: 5 mins, LKR 100 (sharing by 3 persons)   
Tuk tuk from Sigiriya to Dambulla: 30 mins, LKR 1600 for half a day (sharing by 3 persons) 



Final Words 

Due to the expensive admission fee (USD30), many budget travellers probably ever thought of scrapping off Sigiriya in favour of Pidurangala Rock which is only USD5. I can’t vouch for Pidurangala as I did not have the chance (nor the time to include it in our itinerary) to make it to Pidurangala, but having visited Sigiriya, I must say it is a beautiful masterpiece and I was glad I decided to go for Sigiriya. If you have the time, perhaps you should cover both since they open as early as 7am.  

Have you been to Sigiriya or Pidurangala? Which one is your favourite? Tell me about it in the comment down below!


For other places of attractions in Sri Lanka, read my travel guide with sample itinerary and cost breakdown ➢ 12 Days Sri Lanka In Less Than RM2.2K - Visa Application, Sample Itinerary & Cost Breakdown

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