Lion’s Paw Terrace and gateway to the Sigiriya rock summit
Lion’s Paw Terrace
The Lion’s Paw Terrace is located at the northern end of the Lion Rock. This is where visitors gather after climbing through a narrow passageway along the western side of the rock, which includes the Mirror Wall. From here, they begin the final ascent to the summit to visit the ruins of the magnificent palace built in the 5th century. As you can see, the two giant front paws of the lion flank part of the staircase that leads to the top.
Experts believe that a sculpture of a lion’s face once existed above these paws, making the rock resemble a crouching lion, similar to the colossal statue of the Sphinx in Egypt. The lion’s face was constructed against the rock using brick and wood, with its surface plastered in lime mortar. Its mouth was left wide open to allow the staircase to pass through it. In ancient times, this must have been an awe-inspiring sight for visitors gathered on the terrace.
Today, what remains of the lion sculpture are the two giant paws and the stone staircase between them. The rest of the original flight of steps has been lost and replaced by a metal staircase. The final ascent to the summit consists of about 1,200 steps.
Sigiriya Rock Pages
– Lion Rock – A west-side view
– Mirror Wall – Inner Side
– Mirror Wall – Outer Side
– Lion’s Paw Terrace – Entrance to the rock summit
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