Sri Lanka Tourist Information and Travel

25/05/2017

02/06/2012

Sigiriya graffiti on mirror wall, over 1000 years old!!

02/06/2012

The mirror wall - world's oldest graffiti

02/06/2012

Sigiriya Frescoes

02/06/2012

Sigiriya - Lion's paws main entrance to the palace

02/06/2012

Sigiriya, also known as Lion’s Rock, is an ancient fortress and palace ruin which is one of Sri Lanka’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Archaeological studies have indicated that Sigiriya was prior to King Kasyapa’s rule (477 – 495 AD) utilised as a Buddhist monastery (evidence from 3rd century BC) and once again served this purpose following his reign. The amazing architecture, site plan and extensive network of reservoirs and gardens make Sigiriya one of the most exquisitely beautiful historical sites in Sri Lanka. If fortunate enough to visit the palace ruin you will walk through one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world and witness the remains of what was once perhaps the world’s largest picture gallery.
Prince Kasyapa longed to be king, however his half-brother Prince Moggallana being King Dathusena’s son from royalty was rightfully the heir to the throne. Kasyapa is believed to have murdered his father, causing Prince Moggallana who swore revenge to flee to the south of India. Fearing his brother’s return King Kasyapa moved the established capital of Anuradhapura to the much more secure Sigiriya and thus the uniquely shaped rock with visibility for miles in all directions became what is known today as an eighth wonder of the world.
Prince Moggallana stuck to his word and after spending eighteen long years in India building up his army returned to take control of what was rightfully his. History goes on to say that King Kasyapa’s army abandoned him due to a misinterpretation that he was retreating when in fact his elephant was just taking an alternate route. The brave king is said to have been unwilling to die by his brother’s sword and took his own life with his sword. King Moggallana moved Sri Lanka’s capital back to Anuradhapura and converted Sigiriya back into a Buddhist monastery.
During King Kasyapa’s reign he converted rock Sigiriya into his fortress surrounded by a moat and landscaped gardens with an irrigation system that is still mostly functional today. Some of the other interesting features of Sigiriya are the lion’s paws (entrance to the main palace), the king’s baths at the summit of the rock, the mirror wall (world’s oldest graffiti since the 8th century, also indicating how the Sinhala language evolved), the frescoes (originally around 500 beautiful women, today just around 22) and a recently opened museum showcasing nearly three decades of archaeological research.

07/05/2012

Beautiful Vesak by Andre Perera

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150267484057534.381942.618732533&type=1

05/05/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIG2666BXH0

Vesākha (Pali; Sanskrit: Vaiśākha वैशाख) is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent and South East Asian countries o...

13/04/2012

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous Sinhala and Tamil new year!! Enjoy the holidays :)

11/04/2012

Amazing Sri Lanka!!

Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location. Within a mere area of 65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.

04/04/2012

Thank you for supporting the tourist information and travel page for Sri Lanka. Hope you enjoy reading some of the interesting articles featured on this page, you can also suggest topics that interest you or even contribute! Dont forget to contact us if you need your holiday all planned out :)

26/03/2012

If you are a bird lover and your favourite hobby is bird watching do visit Sri Lanka for that magical experience!! Also read our little account about bird watching below and please feel free to ask questions or request us to plan your holiday!!