Sigiriya Rock Fortress: Ancient Sri Lankan City

Sigiriya, aka Sinhagiri, is an ancient rock fortress in Sri Lanka. According to the ancient chronicles, this area was a large forest; however, it became a hill after the storms and landslides. Then, the hill became the new capital of Sri Lanka in the 5th century AD. King Kashyapa (477- 495) built a palace decorated with frescoes on top of it. He also built a gateway in the shape of an enormous lion on a plato leading to the palace. This gateway also gave the fortress its name, “Sinhagiri,” meaning the lion rock.

Soon after the king’s death, the capital started to serve as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Today, Sigiriya rock fortress is in the list of UNESCO World Heritages as one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.