Sigiriya — Kassapa's Parricide Secret

Your exploration of the Ancient City of Sigiriya begins at the Water Gardens, a testament to the ingenuity of Kassapa I. Built in the 5th century, these hydraulic gardens span approximately 10 hectares, featuring symmetrical pools up to 30 meters long. The central fountains, restored in the 1980s by the Archaeological Survey Department of Sri Lanka, utilized a siphon mechanism to project water up to 3-4 meters high, an advanced technology for its time. These developments showcase the king's desire to legitimize his power after the assassination of his father Dhatusena, transforming the base of the rock into a haven of peace and power.

Continuing your ascent, you reach the Mirror Wall, a polished plaster wall dating from the 5th century. 140 meters long and 40 meters high, it was built under Kassapa I as an integral part of the fortification. This wall is remarkable for its over 1,500 poetic graffiti inscribed in Brahmi by visitors between the 6th and 14th centuries, testifying to their admiration for the Sigiriya frescoes. Restored in 1950 by the British government, it constitutes a living archive of the site's perception through the centuries, revealing the enduring fascination with this monument in the Central Province.

Beyond the Mirror Wall, the Sigiriya Frescoes await you at a height of 110 meters on the western face of the rock. These rock paintings, created in the 5th century under Kassapa I, depicted approximately 500 women, 18 of which are still preserved, each measuring 1.5 meters high. Their artistic style, influenced by India's Ajanta school, utilized natural pigments based on red and green clay. Protected by a 60-meter-long covered gallery, they were partially erased by Buddhist iconoclasm in the 14th century but remain a masterpiece of Sinhalese art.

Your path then leads to the Lion Gate, the main access to the fortress, located halfway up the rock (160 meters altitude). This monumental gate, built in the 5th century by Kassapa I, was flanked by two brick and plaster lion paws, 8 meters high each, framing a 10-meter-wide opening. The lion's head, which collapsed in the 19th century, was a symbol of royal power. Discovered and excavated by H.C.P. Bell in 1898 for the Ceylon Antiquities Department, it is the gateway to the summit, where Kassapa I attempted to establish his new capital after fleeing his brother Moggallana I.

Finally, at the summit of Sigiriya Rock, you discover the Audience Hall Platform, a paved platform measuring 20m x 5m with a throne carved into the living rock, also from the 5th century. Paved with polished slabs without mortar, it offers a panoramic view at 200 meters high and demonstrates precise engineering. Used for royal audiences, it retains traces of an adjacent basin for rituals. Archaeological excavations in the 1970s by the Central Cultural Fund of Sri Lanka revealed the extent of this complex. This interactive visit to Sigiriya, a UNESCO site since 1982, allows you to understand the ambitions of a king and the rich heritage of the Central Province, from its Boulder Gardens to its water cisterns, before the site was abandoned in 495 and transformed into a Buddhist monastery.