Sigiriya is a large rock formation (image 1) that is not just an impressive geological formation but also one of Sri Lanka’s archaeological legacies. It is traditionally been the belief that Sigiriya was a fortress constructed under the reign of King Kassapa (Ad477-495)But the latest theories points towards the site as a long standing Buddhist monastery built several centuries prior to the time of king Kassapa.

After the 14th century the monastery was abandoned and was discovered by British explorer Bell in 1898.
Whatever the original purpose may have been, the ruins indicates a sophisticated site with master-planing, architecture, hydraulic engineering, gardening and art.

The gardens to the west of the rock consist of water garden (image 3) that extends all the way to main entrance at the moat (image 2). And the steep land immediately below the rock is sculptured in to a rock gardens (images 4 & 5) and the landscape in between rock and water garden is the terrace gardens (image 6).
Half war up the rock you come across the frescos of the buxom,wasp-waisted women. This the most famous of all the Sigiriya features believed to represent aspects of Tara Devi, one of the most important figures in Tantric Buddhism. Although there may have been up to 500 such portraits at one time, only 22 remains today. (images 7 & 8) And said to date back to the 5th century.
The 3m high mirror wall on half way to the top of the rock is a highly polished wall that has been used by visitors for the past 1000 years of their impressions, mainly of the frescos (image 11).

The Lions Paws that is what remains of a sculpture of a giant lion that was the entrance to the final ascent to the top of the rock (image 12)The summit today consist mainly of the remains of foundations (image 13) that had covered most of the 1.6 hectare summit.

And the large pool 27m by 21m may have been used solely as a water storage (image 14). The view from the summit also provide us scale of the impressive planing that once was (image 15).