The Lion Rock or Sinhagiri which is very famous from the name of Sigiriya, is the rock fortress of King Kasyapa which is situated near the Dambulla town. It is nearly 200m high and was the royal citadel of King Kasyapa for 18 years. The unique Sigiri frescoes and the Water Gardens at the entrance have proved its glamour in the scopes of architecture, irrigation and art.

Since Sigiriya was constructed over 1500 years ago, it is reputed as the 8^th wonder of world and a world heritage site. King Kasyapa has selected this rock as his kingdom because of its strategic location that helped the king to hide from the invaders.

The entrance is designed in the form of a lion thus the rock had its name as the Lion’s Rock. The most famous are the Sigiri frescoes and receive public attraction. There is a gallery of pictures on the face of the wall and these pictures show unique features in their design unlike the paintings found in the Anuradhapura period.