It is likely that the area around Sigiriya was inhabited since prehistoric times. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. The name of this place is derived from this structure Sīnhāgiri, the Lion Rock. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. He built his palace on top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. Īccording to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Cūḷavaṃsa, this area was a large forest, then after storms and landslides it became a hill and was selected by King Kashyapa (AD 477–495) for his new capital. It is a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of granite approximately 180 m (590 ft) high. Sigiriya or Sinhagiri ( Lion Rock Sinhala: සීගිරිය, Tamil: சிகிரியா/சிங்ககிரி, pronounced see-gi-ri-yə) is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka.
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