Sigiriya Rock Fortress
A 5th century palace on top of a 200 metre rock, with lion paw gateway, painted frescoes, the Mirror Wall and water gardens, and one of Sri Lanka's eight World Heritage Sites.
Sigiriya is the image of Sri Lanka that most people carry in their heads, and it lives up to it. This huge column of rock rises around 200 metres straight out of the forest, and in the 5th century King Kashyapa built his palace on its summit, turning the whole rock into a fortress and a work of art. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited ancient site in the country.
The visit starts at ground level, in some of the oldest landscaped gardens in Asia. Symmetrical water gardens, pools and fountains lead to the foot of the rock, where boulder gardens and terraces begin the climb. Halfway up, a spiral staircase takes you to the famous frescoes, paintings of graceful women that have kept their colours for some 1,500 years. Just beyond is the Mirror Wall, once polished so smooth the king could see himself, and covered in poems scratched by visitors more than a thousand years ago.
On a terrace below the summit stand two enormous lion paws carved in stone, all that remains of the gateway that gave Sigiriya, the Lion Rock, its name. The last climb runs up steep metal stairs fixed to the rock, ending at the palace ruins on top, with wide views over the forest and reservoirs.
Arrive when the gates open to beat the heat and the queues. The climb takes most people one to two hours up and down. For the classic photo of the rock, climb Pidurangala Rock nearby at sunrise, and combine Sigiriya with the cave temples at Dambulla or the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Around USD 35 for foreign adults, paid in rupees. SAARC visitors and children pay less, and locals pay a small fee.
- Opening hours: 7:00am to 5:30pm, last entry around 5:00pm
- Time needed: 3 to 4 hours, including the gardens and museum
- Best time: At opening time, before the heat and the tour groups
How to get there
In Sigiriya village, about 20km from Dambulla. Buses run from Dambulla, and tuk tuks and drivers are easy to find. Most visitors stay in Sigiriya or Dambulla.