According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure —Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock.
Minneriya National Park is mostly famed for the large numbers of Sri Lankan elephants that gather here in the dry season- there have even been herds as large 400 reported. The gathering of Elephants in Minneriya National Park is the largest seasonally recurring concentration of wild elephants found in the world.
Sri Lanka’s newest national park (opened in 2002) and is located off the main Habarana – Trincomalee road in the ancient cities’ area (Cultural Triangle). The park has established a 6656-hectare elephant corridor between Somawathie Chaitiya and Minneriya National Parks . Just 6km off the Habarana–Trincomalee road at Gal Oya junction.
The Dambulla Rock Temple had first been constructed during the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya. The Sinhalese often call him as King Valagamba. During a South Indian invasion the king had to abandon his Anuradhapura Kingdom . For 12 years, King Valagamba was in hiding and had frequented these caves for his safety. After regaining the kingdom of Anuradhapura and becoming the King, to show his gratefulness for his safe place, he converted those caves into Buddhist Temples by constructing walled partitions under the rock overhang which spans the entire area as a single large cave.
According to Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of the Sri Lanka, the city of Anuradhapura was named after a Minister called Anuradha who founded this area as a village settlement. He was one of the ministers who accompanied king Vijaya from India, who according to the tradition founded the Sinhalese Race in Sri Lanka. It was king Pandukabhaya who made it his capital in the 4th Century BC.This was 236 years (middle of 3rd century BC) after passing a way of Load Buddha.
Sri Lanka’s splendid medieval capital was established as the first city of the land in the 11th Century, A.D. It replaced Anuradhapura, which was plundered, made desolate and laid hopelessly bare to the invading armies from South India. Three Kings dominate the chronicles of the city and the period. The city reached a dazzling but pitifully brief zenith in the 12th century and though ravaged by invasion in the centuries that followed, much evidence remains of the old grandeur and glory.
This 13 acre extended monastery Complex illustrates religious attitude of king kashyapa (477-495 A:D) who built world renowned Sigiriya Rock Fortress during his reign. Pidurangala ancient monastery which is located adjacent to the Sigiriya rock is believed to be the Royal Temple where the king Kashyapa worshipped. According to legend when kashyapa arrived in Sigiriya to build his rock fortress capital, the caves around here was occupied by Buddhist monks who observe meditation.