Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (Lion Rock Sinhala: සීගිරිය, Tamil: சிகிரியா/சிங்ககிரி, pronounced see-gi-ri-yə) is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of granite approximately 180 m (590 ft) high.[2]
According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Cūḷavaṃsa, this area was a large forest, then after storms and landslides it became a hill and was selected by King Kashyapa (AD 477–495) for his new capital. He built his palace on top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure; Siṃhagiri, the Lion Rock.
The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.[3] Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.[4]
^"Sigiriya". Encyclopedia Britannica. 15 January 2024.
^"Ancient City of Sigiriya". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
^Ponnamperuma, Senani (2013). The Story of Sigiriya. Panique Pty Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9873451-7-2.
^Bandaranayake, Senake; Aramudala, Madhyama Saṃskr̥tika (2005). Sigiriya: City, Palace, Gardens, Monasteries, Painting. Central Cultural Fund. ISBN 978-955-631-146-4.
Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (Lion Rock Sinhala: සීගිරිය, Tamil: சிகிரியா/சிங்ககிரி, pronounced see-gi-ri-yə) is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern...
Sigiriya Airport (IATA: GIU, ICAO: VCCS) is an air force base and domestic airport located in central Sri Lanka. Located near the city of Dambulla, the...
dynasty of Sri Lanka. Kashyapa is credited with the construction of the Sigiriya citadel and the surrounding city. He acquired the throne by overthrowing...
BC–7th century AD, 7th century–667, 683–772, 777–797, 801–833, 853–1029 Sigiriya, 473–491 (During the reign of Kassapa I (473–491)) Polonnaruwa, 667–683...
design on walls and inside the ceilings of domes. The Sigiriya Frescoes are found in Sigiriya in Sri Lanka. Painted during the reign of King Kashyapa...
(Church of Saint George, Lalibela) Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands Sigiriya, Sri Lanka Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), New York...
Pidurangala, which is located a few kilometers north of the historical fort Sigiriya. It is said that the name Pidurangala was derived from the Sinhala words...
courses and retaining structures and also cooling systems were in place in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. The coral on the massive rock at the site includes cisterns...
as Sigiriya, the so-called "Fortress in the Sky", built during the reign of Kashyapa I of Anuradhapura, who ruled between 477 and 495. The Sigiriya rock...
considered vandalism. Ancient tourists visiting the 5th-century citadel at Sigiriya in Sri Lanka write their names and commentary over the "mirror wall", adding...
long before Kasyapa I built his city, Sigiriya. It is located to the South of Sigiriya and closer to Sigiriya tank. It was built by using unshaped boulders...
Radiocarbon evidence has been collected from Anuradhapura and Aligala shelter in Sigiriya. The Anuradhapura settlement is recorded to extend 10 ha (25 acres) by...
September 2014. Dr. Mirando Obeysekere, Was Maya Dannawa the architect of Sigiriya?, Daily News, 6 March 2003. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/mdannawa...
විල් උයන, lit. 'Jetwing Lake Garden') is a boutique eco hotel situated in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Jetwing Vil Uyana was launched in 2006 and inspired by the...
the heavenly damsels in the frescoes of the fifth-century rock fortress Sigiriya holds a five-petalled flower in her right hand that is indistinguishable...
Lankan art are caves and temple paintings, such as the frescoes found at Sigiriya, and religious paintings found in temples in Dambulla and Temple of the...
situated nearby to the ancient rock fortress and castle/palace ruin of Sigiriya and is situated on the main road from Colombo to Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa...
hotel in Kandalama, Sri Lanka, approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) south-east of Sigiriya. The hotel was built in 1991 and designed by Geoffrey Bawa. The hotel is...
buried alive in the bund of the Kalaweva). He went and wrought a castle on Sigiriya Rock. Kala Wewa Mahavamsa List of Sri Lankan monarchs History of Sri Lanka...
Association & Temple of the Tooth) Kandy → Dambulla Sigiriya (Lion Rock) Sigiriya (Hotel Sigiriya) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams returned...
of Anuradhapura, the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, the Ancient City of Sigiriya, the Ancient City of Dambulla and the Sacred City of Kandy. Due to the...
involvement of Persian Christians with the Sri Lankan royal family during the Sigiriya Period. Over seventy-five ships carrying Murundi soldiers from Mangalore...
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