Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Posted by: 
Becktracker
N 07° 57.433 E 080° 45.374
44N E 473133 N 879576
The famous rock with ruins of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, as seen from the western entranceway.
Waymark Code: WM15CK5
Location: Sri Lanka
Date Posted: 12/07/2021
Views: 10
During a vacation in Sri Lanka our tour group visited Sigiriya. The entrance is to the west of the rock fortress. You then follow a dirt path with some ruins to the rock itself. On top of the rock, a steep climb, there are very famous ruins and a great view over the surrounding jungle. The photo for the puzzle was taken at the western entranceway. My photo was taken at a slightly different spot, but with the same view as the puzzle (and even the same morning light behind the rock!).
about Sigiriya ( (
visit link) )
"Sigiriya or Sinhagiri 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 rock around 180 metres (590 ft) high.
According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this area was a large forest, then after storms and landslides it became a hill and was selected by King Kashyapa (477 – 495 AD) 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 — Sinhagiri, the Lion Rock (an etymology similar to Sinhapura, the Sanskrit name of Singapore, the Lion City).
The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning."