Sigiriya

                      The tale of Sigiriya is one of grandeur and tragedy in the history of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya, a World Heritage Site, is located in Matale district in the Central Province, Sri Lanka, is an ancient palace. Surrounded by huge column of rocks nearly 200 meters high, Sigiriya is of great historical as well as archaeological importance. Right in the heart of Ceylon, King Kasyapa built this palace in 4th century after he shifted his capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya.With the huge amount of  wealth and the skilled labourers and artisans of his kingdom King Kasyapa transformed this sinister-looking black rock to a highly decorated palace and painted it with frescoes. A Sphinx type  massive gatehouse in the form of a Lion approximately thirty-five metres tall was built at the entrance to guard the Sky palace at the top of the rock.

                Upon the death of King Kasyapa, the royal capital was moved back to Anuradhapura. The palace then transformed as a Buddhist Monastery, was deserted and left to be consumed by the forests. It disappeared in the mists of time until it was again discovered in 1831 by a young British army officer named Jonatha Forbes when he went for elephant hunting in the jungle along with his friend George Tumor. Even today many tourists climb the 1200 steps of Sigiriya rock to experience the history of the place.