From a distance, it may look like just a rock—albeit a pretty impressive one. But the stone face of Sigiriya hides a wealth of surprises that can be discovered on our New! Sri Lanka: From Colombo & Kandy to the Wildlife of Yala adventure.
Question: Where did a massive lion crouch 300 feet up the side of a rock wall to intimidate visitors of a murderous king?
Answer: Sigiriya Fortress, Sri Lanka
When fifth-century Sri Lankan King Kashyapa established a new capital, he wanted a palace no one would forget. He made that possible by perching the royal residence high in the sky, the crowning jewel of a 660-foot rock at Sigiriya. The palace itself was gorgeously wrapped in colorful frescoes, but the real showstopper was found on a promontory halfway up the rock face: a gate carved into the shape of a lion standing 100 feet tall.
A lion was a fitting symbol: Kashyapa was noble but bloodthirsty, and came to power only after he killed his own father, King Dhatusena, by walling the monarch up alive—and then chasing his brother, the rightful heir, out of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya was designed not only to impress but to thwart enemy access. Still, Kashyapa’s brother eventually returned with an army, and the king committed suicide on the eve of the sixth century.
After that drama, the palace became a Buddhist monastery, and was left unoccupied in the 1500s. But King Kashyapa succeeded in being memorable: Sigiriya (now nicknamed Lion Rock) is his nation’s most visited site and earned itself a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Why Lion Rock is so Memorable
- Archaeological evidence shows that Sigiriya has been occupied by humans since the Mesolithic period, nearly 5,000 years ago.
- When Sigiriya was first re-discovered and excavated in the 19th century, the massive lion’s head above the paws was still visible, but it has since crumbled into rubble and been removed.
- The complex included more than just a palace: There was a royal park with a hydraulic system; a man-made reservoir; sub-palaces; and five gates, one of which was for royal use only.
- The western face of the rock was once almost entirely covered in frescos, with paintings stretching 400 feet by 120 feet. A writer visiting in 1907 called it "a gigantic picture gallery … the largest picture in the world." Only 18 frescoes remain at the site.
- The frescoes contained portraits of 500 different women, many nude, and all different; to this day, no one knows for sure who they are.
- Workers built a "mirror wall" of masonry covered in white plaster, which was kept polished to such a high gloss that the king could view himself in it. Visitors began exploring the site in the eighth century, leaving graffiti on the wall, including love poems and religious texts. Writing on the wall is now prohibited, but you can read centuries of messages from those who came before you.
- Sigiriya boasts one of the oldest established formal gardens in the world, with terraced beds, water gardens, and gardens set into caves and rocks.
- The palace level at the top of the rock boasted an array of large boulders, which outlined the property in seemingly decorative fashion but were actually defensive: Should attackers approach from below, the rocks were to be pushed over onto them.
- During the rainy season, Sigiriya’s channels and conduits fill, so that water flows throughout the complex and fifth-century fountains come to life again—the lasting legacy of a king who reigned only 18 years.
Experience the fascinating history and culture of Sri Lanka on our New! Sri Lanka: From Colombo & Kandy to the Wildlife of Yala adventure.
