View of descending steps and terraces with the jungle beyond taken from the top of Sigiriya - the Lion Rock
View from the Sigiriya rock where Kassapa built his fortress palace in the 5th century (c. 477-485) to escape his brother, whom he was fighting for the throne. On one side, terraces, once gardens, give way to jungle. On the other, elaborate water gardens are also a triumph of hydraulic skill. After Kassapa's defeat, Sigiriya was given back to the Buddhist monks who had lived there originally, but after c,1155 they too seem to have abandoned it.
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Photo credit: © aslphoto / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: archaeology, buddha, buddhism, caves, ceylon, defence, fifthcentury, fortifications, fortress, heritage, hydraulic, irrigation, jungle, kassapa, monastery, palace, panorama, refuge, resources, site, steps, stonework, system, tank, view, water, wewa, world
