Sigiriya, an Ancient Marvel on the “Teardrop of India”
Visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must when you travel to Sri Lanka.
Located in the northern extremity of the Matale district, 350 meters above sea level, Sigiriya is one of Sri Lanka’s ancient political capitals and most sensational archeological heritage sites.
The story of Sigiriya in a nutshell
Excavations have revealed that Sigiriya’s history goes back to prehistoric times, nearly 5,500 years from now. The caves around Sigiriya rock were built up as cave shelters from the 3rd century B.C. These cave shelters with drip ledges were used by monks during the early Buddhist period, which is not just a theory since several Brahmi rock inscriptions throw light on Buddhist religious activities of those times.
The construction of the fortress was carried out by King Kashyapa (A.D. 477–495) who was the son of King Dhatusena (A.D. 459–477) by a lesser queen: hence his right to the throne was not strong enough. Assuming the kingship by a palace conspiracy, which led to the execution of his father, Kashyapa decided to make…
