| Overview | Things to do | Suitability | Country Info (Sri Lanka) |
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Taking its name from giriya ('jaws and throat') and sinha ('lion'), Sigiriya is a palace in central Sri Lanka. It contains the ruins of an ancient royal fortress and city founded in the fifth century AD by King Kasyapa. Three kilometres (1.8 miles) wide and one kilometre (0.6 miles) long, it stands on a remarkably steep, large rock, known as Lion Mountain , that rises 180m (600ft) above the surrounding plain. It was constructed in AD 477 as a safeguard against attack from Mogallana, Kasyapa's brother from whom he had usurped the throne after killing their father, and visitors were obliged then, as now, to enter through the jaws of a massive monumental lion.
Sigiriya is a small shanty village, best known for its 5th-century rock fortress and temples. The 600-foot-high monolithic Sigiriya Rock dominates the surrounding scenery and attracts an abundance of tourists, normally on a one- or two-night stopover. Accommodation is spread across a vast area with some of the higher-rated properties up to 10 mls away, all fairly basic self-contained properties quietly placed on outskirts of village. More sophisticated properties can be found in Habarana to North. This is a popular destination for back-packers and day-trippers touring the area's historic sites. Locality: Sigiriya is fairly centrally placed, almost 100 mls NE of Colombo and Bandaranaike international airport, 10 mls NE of Dambulla. It is set in lush jungle surroundings of rolling hills and agricultural land. |

