The past and present of Sigiriya.

Sigiriya is a real palace built on an orange-red boulder in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. It is a natural wonder like Ayers Rock in Australia, and an unimaginable man-made miracle that amazes every visitor. It is known as the eighth wonder of the world, one of the vertices of Sri Lanka's "Cultural Triangle," and one of the world's precious heritage sites protected by UNESCO. The boulder is 200 meters high. From a distance, Sigiriya looks like a lion lying on the flat ground northeast of Dambulla. The top of the rock is flat and looks like a lion. The lion's head has weathered and fallen off, leaving only the lion's body under the giant rock, with a garden palace built 200 meters high on its back. It was buried in the jungle for several centuries until it was discovered by the British hunter Bell in the mid-19th century, and has since attracted the attention of the archaeological community. It includes a moat, a garden square, a huge rock, and a brick-red aerial castle built on top of the rock. It is said that this heavenly palace was built by King Kashyapa (447-495 AD) of the Moriya dynasty. King Kashyapa killed his father to ascend the throne. To escape the revenge of his half-brother Moggallana, he built this fortress palace with more military defense than ruling significance along the mountain for 18 years. Sigiriya is about 200 meters high, with a smooth and square stone surface, and is very imposing. A dynasty that lasted only seven years was built on this giant rock. The top of the mountain covers an area of about two hectares, and an aerial garden was built in a very luxurious way. Even today, it is a huge project. In the garden, there are the king's stone throne, water reservoir, banquet hall, council hall, king's bedroom, etc. The scale of the architecture at that time was incredible. Now, all that is left for visitors to see is a giant rock, the front paws of two giant stone lions, and the ruins of various palaces. On the ruins of the houses, Sri Lankan macaques with "black ears" are active, adding a touch of life to the scenic area. Climbing the metal stairs built along the cliff to the top of the rock, the view suddenly opens up. Looking far into the distance, the jungle is endless and green, and the entire capital site is in full view. You can only imagine the grandeur and luxury of the past in your mind. The entire site park is well maintained and clean, and wild macaques roam in groups. It is also one of the must-see attractions when traveling to Sri Lanka.