Sigiriya (Sinhala: සීගිරිය; Lion Rock) is an ancient rock fortress located near the town of Dambulla(දඹුල්ල) in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya was abandoned around the 5th century. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century, and has now become a famous tourist attraction.
From the entrance of the royal garden, you can see the Sigiriya rock, although this garden has been abandoned for over one thousand years, you can still imagine how grand it was.
All the pools and fountains are interlinked using an underground conduit network fed by the lake, and connected to the moats, excellent planning and architectural skills.
The original wooden plank walkway has long disappeared and been replaced by solid steel structure.
It was said that most of the western face of the Sigiriya rock would have been covered by paintings, an area 140 metres long and 40 metres high, but most paintings have been lost forever.
Subjects of the Sigiriya frescoes paintings are the damsels and the maidens in the palace, tourists can take photos but flashlight is not allowed.
Mirror Wall is made of brick masonry and covered in highly polished white plaster, it was said that this wall was so highly polished that the king could see himself whilst he walked alongside it.
Sigiriya is not only a relic, but also an incredibly beautiful art piece, why did someone destroy such a wonderful place?
