View Of Sigiriya Rock And The Gardens Of Sigiriya. Editorial Photo

Sigiriya is considered to be one of the most important urban planning sites of the first millennium, and the site plan is considered very elaborate and imaginative. The plan combined concepts of symmetry and asymmetry to intentionally interlock the man-made geometrical and natural forms of the surroundings. On the west side of the rock lies a park for the royals, laid out on a symmetrical plan the park contains water-retaining structures, including sophisticated surface subsurface hydraulic systems, some of which are working today. The gardens of Sigiriya are one of the most important aspects of the site, as they are among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The gardens are divided into three distinct but linked forms: water gardens, cave and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens.