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Tourist Map of Sigiriya Rock and Its Surrounding Area

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Tourist Map of Sigiriya Rock and Its Surrounding Area Tourist Map of Sigiriya Rock and its Surrounding Area Pahala Talkote Vava Pidurangala Rock and Temple Located 3 km north-west of Sigiriya Rock, Like Sigiriya Rock, Pidurangala Rock Pahala Talkote Vava provides you with a mag- dominates the landscape with its distinct nificent view of both Sigiriya and Pidurangala. silhouette. It is definitely worth a visit. [A,B-1] Pidurangala was one of several rock shel- ter monasteries established in the area There are a lot of tanks (man-made lakes; around 3rd century BC, before Sigiriya’s vava in Sinhala) around Sigiriya Rock. 1 brief transformation into a royal capital in 5th century AC. The Temple has remains Since ancient times, tanks supported life belonging to several periods. At the base and livelihood in the Dry Zone. Tanks are of the rock is the contemporary temple, still used for agriculture, as well as for whose image-house is actually an ancient washing and bathing by the locals. When rock shelter. The image-house is shared you go to Talkote, please respect the cus- by a locally famous Vishnu shrine, which toms and dignity of the bathers. is open for worship on Wednesdays and Pahala Talkote Saturdays . [C-3] Vava Located just north of Sigiriya, the view of Halmilla Vava Sigiriya Rock from Pidurangala’s summit is breathtaking. One of the lesser-known places Halmilla Vava is a tiny tank near Pidu- to take photos of Sigiriya Rock, it is well worth rangala Rock. A part of the tank is now a visit. swamp, and various species of birds The route to the summit of Pidurangala Rock converge in the mornings and evenings. is not well marked out for tourists. The trail Trees and tree-trunks still standing in the starts inside the Temple grounds. On the way tank provide you with lots of opportunities 2 up is a large recumbent Buddha image, dam- to take good photos of birds. aged by treasure-seekers but now restored, From the banks of the tank, you can see dating back to 5th century AC. Sigiriya and Pidurangala side by side. Near the end of the trail to the summit, you will The sight of two rocks reflected on the Pahala have to climb large boulders, so go dressed surface of the water is truly memorable. Pidurangala Habarana for casual hiking, and ask someone at the [B-3] Veva temple below to accompany you or give di- rections. A small donation or a purchase of a donation-ticket is recommended. Pidurangala Sigiriya Herbal Garden and Forest Archaeological site Archaeology Museum and Pidu- Arboretum (SHG) rangala Archaeological Site Halmilla Ihara Sigiriya Herbal Garden was built and opened Across the road from Pidurangala Rock in 1994 as an additional attraction at the Si- Vava Pidurangala Pidurangala giriya World Heritage Site. Although small, all Vava Museum and Temple are the remains of a monas- common medicinal plants indigenous to the Signboard for tic complex, whose earliest phase dates Dry Zone are represented, and endangered Pidurangala to around 5th century AC. It is rather and rare trees and plants can be seen. In ad- Pidurangala Temple compactly built, but all five major monas- dition to the Herbal Garden is an arboretum- 3 tic elements are visible: the Bodhighara, park of major Dry Zone trees. At its back is an Pidurangala image house, chapter house, stupa, and undisturbed forest with nature trails, connected Rock the central mandapa or shrine. to forests outside the park. Ihara Talkote Vava If you go to Pidurangala, visit this monas- Benches of all types are available along the tic complex for some quiet and peace. walking trail. They are not well maintained, but if you are exhausted after climbing up Sigiriya You do not need a ticket. There is also a Rock, this is an ideal place to refresh yourself. small site museum run by the Archaeol- [B-4] ogy Department nearby. [C-3] Sigiriya Museum Tree Houses The newly opened Sigiriya Museum A major problem in this area is the conflict be- is an archaeological museum, visitor tween wild elephants and local people. During information centre, and research facility the harvest season, farmers spend the night in tree houses, to watch out for elephants. You in one. Managed by the Central Cultural can spot various kinds of tree houses around Fund (CCF), the museum showcases Signboard for paddies and on roadsides. the results of nearly three decades of Pidurangala Outer rampart archaeological research at Sigiriya and New Town Inner rampart Inside Sigiriya Site itself, there are at least two 4 tree houses used by night watchmen. Try to surrounding area. Herbal spot them yourself! The museum offers you a concise P Garden understanding of the history of Sigiriya Sigiriya World from prehistory to present. Films and Wild elephants move out from forests to vil- Heritage Site lages and tanks at dusk, and stay around until special activities are planned for the dawn. We strongly recommend you not to future. A stop by the museum before your walk around, even in villages, at these hours. site visit is recommended. [B-4] Sigiriya Museum Sigiriya Lion Rock Rock Other archaeological sites Hotel Main Sigiriya Vava Entrance You will see several archaeological sites when you travel on the Dambulla-Sigiriya Road. P During the reign of King Kasyapa, the Ramakele (Mahanaga Pabbata Vihara) was Sigiriya vava used to be a huge tank, a monastery, one of several monastery sites spreading out to the south. in the area including Sigiriya itself. You can The current Sigiriya Vava is cut from an- see its partly conserved stupa on the right South Gate other tank in the south and became much side of the road when coming to Sigiriya from smaller. This is now a heaven for water Dambulla. 5 buffaloes, but it still a nice place to take Near Sigiriya Vava are two other rocks which Sigiriya photos of the Sigiriya rock. are, like Sigiriya, associated with archaeologi- cal sites. The larger one, ‘Mapagala’ (‘Rock Flower inn Vava The tank is also a good place to enjoy of the Viceroy’), is a fortress with massive guest house bird watching. You can see both water stone walls. Nearby is smaller ‘Petangala’, and mountain birds here. [C-5] associated with the remains of a monastery. Sigiriya [A-6, B-4, C-4] Nilmini Lodge Resthouse Petangala Hotel Sigiriya Sigiriya Village Diyakepilla Lakmini Lodge Ajantha Guest Ramakele Monastic Complex Toilet Mapagala (Archaeological site) Bus Stop Temple Shop Published by Other Sightseeing Spot Dambulla-Sigiriya Tourism Promotion Committee (DSTPC) 0 125 250 500 750 1,000 6 Inamaluwa Meters Hotel &Guest House Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Big Tree Supported by Bird Watching Site Japan International Copperation Agency Tree House Photo Spot ABC D.
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