Sigiriya

SIGIRIYA

Prepared by,ICT Students of Kochchikade Maha

Vidyalaya

CONTENTS

1. Introduction2. Historical Background3. Site Plan Of Sigiriya4. Frescoes of Sigiriya5. Gardens of Sigiriya6. Important places in sigiriya7. Mirror Walls in Sigiriya8. Archaeological work at Sigiriya

INTRODUCTIONSigiriya is located in the central province Sri Lanka.It is a rock fortress,built by king Kashyapa during 477AD-495AD.He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated the inside with colourful frescoes.The name of this place is derived from this structure-Sinhagiri,the lion Rock.Sigiriya is a UNESCO listed world heritage site today.It is also considered as 8th world wonder.

Historical Background

Sigiriya consists of an ancient castle built by King Kashyapa during the 5th century. The Sigiriya site has the remains of an upper palace sited on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion

Gate and the mirror wall with its frescoes, the lower palace that clings to the slopes below the rock, and the moats, walls, and gardens that extend for some hundreds of

metres out from the base of the rock.

SITE PLAN OF SIGIRIYASigiriya is considered one of the most important urban planning sites of the first millennium.On the west side of the rock lies a park for the royals, laid out on a symmetrical plan; the park contains water-retaining structures, including sophisticated surface/subsurface hydraulic systems, some of which are working even today. The south contains a man-made reservoir.Five gates were placed at entrances.

Frescoes of SigiriyaThe frescos belong to 5th Century. There were about two hundred and fifty frescoes.

Frescoes of Sigiriya

Gardens of SigiriyaThe Gardens of the Sigiriya city are one of the most important aspects of

the site, as it is among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct but linked forms: water gardens, cave

and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens.

Water Gardens of SigiriyaThree principal gardens are found here.

Cave & Boulder Gardens in SigiriyaThe boulder gardens consist of several large boulders

linked by winding pathways.

Terraced Gardens of SigiriyaThe terraced gardens are formed from the natural hill at the base of the Sigiriya rock

Important places in sigiriya

Lion’s mouthThere was a sculpted lion's head

above the legs and paws flanking the entrance, but the head broke down

many years ago.

Mirror Walls in SigiriyaOriginally this wall was so well polished that the king could see himself whilst he

walked alongside it. Made of a kind of porcelain, the wall is now partially covered with

verses scribbled by visitors to the rock. People of all types

wrote on the wall.

Archaeological work at Sigiriya

H.C.P. Bell was the first archaeologist to conduct extensive research on Sigiriya. The Cultural

Triangle Project, launched by the government of Sri

Lanka,focused its attention on Sigiriya in 1982. Archaeological work began on the entire city for the first time under this project.

Thank you.