For many visitors, the mighty Sigiriya Rock Fortress is the most impressive site in Sri Lanka. It totally dominates the surrounding landscape.
With stunning views from the top, the 500AD citadel is surrounded by a double moat, the outer of which is now dry. Water gardens, largely dry now, are a restful place to pass time before your precarious climb which can be quite daunting for people who have vertigo.
Nearby, as part of Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa was once the thriving commercial and religious center of Sri Lanka, some 800 years ago. It consists of a lot of temples and religious buildings. For three centuries it was the royal capital, of both the Chola and Sinhalese Kingdoms. The glories of that age can be found in the archaeological treasures that still give a pretty good idea of how the city looked in its heyday
