Sigiriya is an ancient impressive rock fortress. Sigiriya is located on a massive column of rock, near Dambulla in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was developed into a fort complex between 477 and 495 BCE.
Why it is special: The fort sits atop a rock formation 200 metres high. It is said King Kasyapa selected the site as his new capital. After his death, the fortress was used as a Buddhist monastery. The name itself comes from Sinhalese, meaning Lion Rock. The fortress complex was decorated with beautiful frescoes covering an entire wall, a mirrored wall and beautifully landscaped gardens (including water gardens, terrace gardens, boulder gardens) that are considered the oldest landscaped gardens in the world.
