Sigiriya is located in the district of Matale of Sri Lanka. It is a rock fortress built under the reign of King Kasyapa I. This site is one of the popular tourist destinations and is recognized as one of the World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.
According to legends, Kasapya I overthrown his father Dhatusena by killing him. Kasapya feared revenge from his half-brother Mogallana and built an invisible fortress. But finally he took his own life during a battle in 491 as his soldiers abandoned him.
In Sigiriya, there are number of attractions for tourists. The water gardens of Sigiriya steal the show and they offer splendid scenic beauty. The frescos found on the rock walls of Sigiriya are worth seeing. The gallery of paintings consist frescos of maidens, which are still in good condition. Different graffiti on walls of Sigiriya fortress were drawn during 7th and 11th century AD. One of the major attractions of this fort is its mirror coated wall.
The northern part of this rock fortress ends to a platform. Initially there was a brick lion situated on this platform from which the name Sigiriya has originated which means the Lion Rock. But only the paws of the brick lion have survived the test of time. The remains of the Sigiriya fortress cover around 1.6 hectares and from the relics the layout and design of the existing buildings can be figured out.
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