Pidurangala Rock

Pidurangala Rock is a rocky outcrop located in central Sri Lanka, in the Matale District, about 1 km (0.6 mi) north of the more well-known Sigiriya rock.

Geology

These bare peaks rise abruptly from the low-lying plains that extend from the central mountain range of the country.[1] They are inselbergs, hardened granite outcrops deriving from solidified magma plugs of former volcanoes.[2]

History

The rocks form the site of a former Buddhist monastery, and Pidurangala Rock is also an archaeological site.[1] Caves house a temple, Sigiri Pidurangala Raja Maha Viharaya, which is believed to have been built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century,[3] and a monumental brick statue of a reclining Buddha.[4] King Kashyapa's stupa is near the entrance to the monastery, and there are remains of another stupa on the top of the outcrop.[5]

  • Sigiriya Rock seen from Pidurangala
  • Summit and panorama
  • Entrance to the temple at the foot of the rock
  • Brick statue of a reclining Buddha

References

  1. ^ a b Collectif Asie, tome 2, Aménager l'espace, vol. 2, Presses de l'Université Paris-Sorbonne, 1994, p. 240 ISBN 9782840500278
  2. ^ "Sri Lanka's Granite Fortress". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  3. ^ "PidurangalaTemple". srilankatravelnotes.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-11. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Sri Lanka Heritage Image Archive". www.royalasiaticsociety.lk. Archived from the original on 2010-11-15. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Pidurangala Rock - History, Climbing, Tourist Information". seelanka.net. Retrieved 3 November 2025.

Bibliography

  • Senake Bandaranayake et Mats Mogren (dir.), Further studies in the settlement archaeology of the Sigiriya-Dambulla region, University of Kelaniya, Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, 1994, 349 p. ISBN 955-904419-2 (numerous references to Pidurangala)
  • Klaus Kilian et Hans-Joachim Weishaar, Excavations at Pidurangala (Sri Lanka): The Upper Rock Shelter, Philipp von Zabern, Mainz am Rhein, 1994, 125 p.
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