The Mirror Wall

Just beyond the gallery is a wall covered with ancient graffiti which originally had an extraordinary mirror-like polish.  Visitors from more than a thousand years ago wrote on the wall their impressions of the paintings, as well as their experiences and thoughts on Sigiriya.  There are more than 700 poems amongst this grafitti, many written in very neat and precise lettering.

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The Gallery of maidens

Two of the main attractions of Sigiriya are reached after climbing a spiral staircase built along the sheer cliff wall.  The colourful frescoes of graceful ladies painted on the side of the rock are likely the most beautiful and well-preserved of ancient Sri Lankan art.  There are references to around 500of these figures but only 22 of these remain.  Some say they are Apsaras, or celestial nymphs, while others contend that they are Mahayana deities such as Tara and her attendants.

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The water Gardens

 These are a series of striking and elaborate pools, symmetrically placed and fed by a complex system of underground pipes.  Attesting to the ingenuity of the ancient hydraulic engineers, some of the fountains of the garden are still in working order.  These gardens, according to the traditional accounts, were  the  bathing  places  of  the  king’s  concubines  who  were  drawn  from many different races.

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Yapahuwa Rock Fortress

Located about 130 kilometers from Colombo, or about a 3 ½ hour drive,

is one of Sri Lanka’s ancient capitals.  This is the Yapahuwa Rock Fortress,

which is built on the side of a huge 90 meter high boulder.  During a

period of political instability, King Bhuvanekabahu I moved his capital to

Yapahuwa in 1272, taking with him the sacred Tooth Relic.  After his death,

the fortress fell into obscurity and was eventually abandoned.

The stone staircase leading to the remains of the Tooth Temple half way up

the rock is the most impressive feature of the Fortress, and it is embellished

with beautiful friezes of musicians, dancers and drummers.  There are

also well-preserved guard stones and animal statuettes.  On reaching

the top, the visitor is rewarded with a panoramic view of the surrounding

area, as well as a close-up view of the doorway that once led into the

Tooth Temple.

At the foot of the rock is a monastery and a small museum which contains

some statues and various antiquities.  There is also a collection of ancient

Chinese coins and pottery from the Sung Dynasty, which shows that

Bhuvanekabahu had some contact with China.  To access the museum,

request the key from one of the caretaker monks who will usually oblige.

The large and ornate golden key is itself an interesting artifact.

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Colombo National Museum:

The oldest and largest Museum in the Sri Lanka, established 1877. Best known for collection of antiques and objects of art. The library of the museum has more than 4,000 palm leaf manuscripts. Among the exhibits are the regalia of the King of Kandy; ancient and medieval jewelry rare collection of traditional mask; wood and ivory carvings; an exquisite collection of Buddhist and Hindu Bronzes, temple frescoes; ceramics objects including VOC plates of the Dutch period; antic furniture; lacquered objects; ornate brass, bronze and silver objects; stone sculpture and lithic inscriptions. The recently refurbished and revamped Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Galleries are well worth to visit. For the visitors on a short tour, unable to visit the ancient cities of Sri Lanka, a visit to the Colombo museum will give an idea of the history of the country and its people. Closed on Friday, and all Public Holidays.  

Tel: +94-011-269476
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Sigiriya

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Built on a sheer-sided volcanic plug rising 200 metres above the surrounding
jungle, the Sigiriya Rock Fortress is possibly Sri Lanka’s most impressive
attraction. Known also as the “Lion’s Rock”, it is one of the island’s seven
UNESCO Heritage sites, featuring extensive gardens, stairways, galleries,
caves and other structures.
According to the Sri Lankan Chronicles, Sigiriya was the fortress-palace
built by King Kassapa I in the late 5th century. Kassapa put his father to
death in a rebellion and fearing the revenge of his brother, abandoned
Anuradhapura as his capital and built this fortress to protect himself.
Nonetheless, he ultimately committed suicide during a battle with the
invading forces of his brother.
However, a more recent school of thought suggests that Sigiriya was not a
fortress or a palace, but a great Mahayana monastic complex. Inscriptions
dating from the 3rd century BCE found in the caves surrounding the area
indicate the presence of ascetic monks, and it is possible that Sigiriya
became a branch of the Abhayagiri Vihara and continued to function as a
monastery for hundreds of years.

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Ruvanvalisaya

Simply known also as the Great Stupa, the Ruvanvalisaya was constructed by Dutthagamani after he became king in 161 BCE.  This was his most ambitious project and it is said that one of the architects designed the dome to resemble a bubble of milk.  Sadly, the king did not live to see the completion of the stupa.When it was finally completed, it was one of the wonders of the ancient world, with a diameter of 90 metres at the base and a height of 91 metres. The compound of the stupa is surrounded by four walls with elephant figures made into them. It is believed that relics of the Buddha are enshrined within the stupa.
The Ruvanvalisaya was also designed with the teachings of the Buddha in mind.  Its dome signifies the vastness of the doctrine, the four facets above it represent the Four Noble Truths, the concentric rings indicate the Noble Eightfold Path, and the large crystal at the pinnacle represents the ultimate Buddhist goal of enlightenment.

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Avukana

Avukana Buddha statue

Near the village of Avukana, located in the Anuradhapura district, stands the tallest Buddha statue in Sri Lanka.  The Avukana Buddha statue is almost 12 metres high and is carved out from a granite cliff.  It is almost free-standing, being joined to the cliff by just a narrow piece of rock.It is commonly believed that this statue was constructed sometime in the 5th century, during the reign of King Dhatusena.  Although carved more than a thousand years ago, the Avukana Buddha statue is in extremely good condition, with its features and details still very sharp and clear.  Despite its size, it was very delicately carved, resulting in an image of finesse and grace.
To give a sense of the statue’s size, a person of average height would stand as tall as its toes.  It is so well crafted that raindrops will flow down vertically and land right between the feet of the statue.

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Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura

Located in the north-west of the island, Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for 1,400 years.  It is slightly more than 200 kilometers from Colombo and a drive of around 6 hours.  Anuradhapura gained much greater prominence with the advent of Buddhism on the island, after which many significant buildings and monasteries were constructed.

The three greatest monasteries of Sri Lanka, the Mahavihara, the Abhayagiri and the Jethavana, were all located in Anuradhapura.  Visitors will see mainly the ruins of these monasteries and other structures associated with them.

All the other buildings have long since disappeared. Due to its vulnerability to attacks from South Indian raiders, Anuradhapura gradually lost its importance by the 9^th century, and the political seat of the island shifted south-east to Polonnaruwa.  It was abandoned by the 11^th Century and swallowed by the jungle, lost for almost a thousand years.  The City and its important ruins were rediscovered only in the early 19^th Century with the help of the British.

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