The site, perched atop a 200-meter-high granite monolith, was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century CE.
To safeguard himself against potential retaliation, Kashyapa moved the capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya and commissioned the construction of a fortress and luxurious palace.
The Adityas are the sons of Aditi, the primordial mother goddess, and Kashyapa, a sage and progenitor of many beings.