Pidurangala Rock
Pidurangala Rock is around 200 metres high and the constantly changing terrain of man-made paths, towering boulders, rock caves, grassy plains and shrub forest makes this an interesting, hike.
The rock has a long history, supposedly dating back to the second century BC when the site was a monastery. Pidurangala became a more significant site during the reign of King Kashyapa (473 - 495 AC), of Sigiriya fame. The story has it that when Kashyapa built his fortress in Sigiriya, he relocated the monks from there to Pidurangala.
Pidurangala mountain is located a few kilometers north of Sigiriya and offers superb views of the landscape, including the Lion Rock. There is a Buddhist temple at the entrance and a spectacular reclining Buddha halfway up the rock. Ruins of the old temple can still be seen at the foot of the mountain.
Map sourced from https://srilankatravelnotes.com/MATALE/PIDURANGALA/PidurangalaTemple.html
Entrance to the cave temple
Remains of the old Dageba
Remains of the old Image House
The way up to the summit
The superb statue of a reclining Buddha is virtually 50 feet long
