It is said that Sigiriya, or the Lion Rock owes its name to the magnificent castle that is found at the top of this colossal column of rock more than 200 metres high. There is quite a lot to explore on this monolithic boulder and tours to Sri Lanka are never complete without paying a visit to this wonderful reminder of the glory days of the past. Sri Lankan Dreams offers comprehensive Sri Lanka tour packages combining the best of Sri Lankan hospitality with the most amazing sights that one would ever witness in their entire lifetime. It was King Kashyapa who decided that he would build his palace up there on top of the rock with the aim of using the boulder as a formidable fortress against enemy forces. Halfway up the side of the rock a gateway was built in the form of an enormous lion from which the rock derives its name. On top of the rock one finds the ruins of a palace complex which had in its prime been truly magnificent ones. How a palace had been built on top of this extremely tall rock still remains a mystery to most. At the bottom of the rock the palace gardens are found with complex waterways and intricate water fountains which still function perfectly on rain abundant seasons. Because of the sheer architectural genius displayed here, Sigiriya today is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world.
Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.