The Water Gardens of Sigiriya

Overview:

The Water Gardens are the first part of Sigirya visitors encounter as they enter through the west gate. Relatively well preserved, they have been compared to the water gardens of ancient Rome and the Middle East. Interspersed among the gardens were a number of palaces and bathing pavilions, and the entire area featured lush vegetation (thanks to the water system which fed the interconnected tanks and poo)ls. These water gardens were designed as a pleasure palace, an area reserved for the royal family to relax. Each garden has its own distinctive characteristics. The Minature Water Garden and Water Garden 1 are primarily bathing pools, the Fountain Garden is primarily a display of Sigiriya's hydraulics and is intended as a display, while Garden 3 served as the secluded Water Palace residences.

 Miniature Water Gardens:

Just inside the west entrance and just below the interlocking pools of Garden 1 are the miniature water gardens. There are are at least five distinct units in this garden, each combining pavilions of brick and limestone with paved, water-retaining structures and winding water-courses. 90 meters long by 30 meters wide, the pavilions within the complex were cooled by slow-moving water running over the pebbled and marbled floors. All of the pools and pavilions were connected by an intricate series of underground conduits, a system of hydraulics even more complex than those found in the fountain gardens of Water Garden 2.

 Water Garden 1:

Just past the miniature water gardens from the main (west entrance) is Water Garden 1. It consists of four interlocking, L-shaped pools which converge on intersecting walkways laid out on the cardinal compass points--North, South, East and West. The central area between the four pools was once an elaborate pavilion area, and the pools to the south of the main road (the only ones which have been restored) have  polished walls, adjoining terrace, and steps leading to down to the water. These pools formed part of a large pleasure garden complex enjoyed by the royal family, a peaceful setting of water and greenery. The four pools are connected by subterranean pipes which regulate the level of water. The photo to the left shows one of the restored pools on the southern half of the water garden, while the photo to the right shows a view of the four interlocking pools from the summit.

 Water Garden 2: The Fountain Gardens

Continuing on the main walkway from the central axis of Water Garden 1 visitors arrive at Water Garden 2, also known as the Fountain Gardens. This garden occupies a narrow strip on either side of the walkway leading to the boulder and terrace gardens. It is comprised of two parts. The lower (western half) contains two long pools with stepped cross-sections. (visible in the photo to the left). Square in plan, they may have originally functioned as storage or pressure chambers for the serpentine streams and fountains above them. Draining into these pools are are shallow streams paved with marble slabs (also visible if you enlarge the photo to the upper right). At intervals within these streams are fountains, which consist of  circular perforated limestone slabs. (photo at lower left) The fountains are fed by underground water conduits and operate on a gravity feed system.  Amazingly, the fountains still function (over 1500 years after they were built) during the rainy season. The upper half of the Fountain Gardens (the eastern half, closest to Sigiriya Rock) has distinctive features remaining, a serpentine stream and the remnants of a royal pavilion with throne. (photo to the lower right).

 Water Garden 3:


The largest of the four gardens in respect to area, Water Garden 3 lies to the north and south of the Fountain Gardens, and is largely obscured from view. The main part of this garden consists of two islands which contain the Water Palaces of King Kasyapa. They are isolated from the rest of the water garden complex by the moats and they are concealed by the trees and boulders. These factors make this water garden almost invisible to visitors treading the main path to the Sigiriya Rock. Water Garden 3 is also a transitional garden; the Octagonal Tank behind the northernmost island (not visible on the map above) marks the transition from the Water Gardens to the Boulder Gardens.The photo to the left shows the southern boundary of Water Garden 3, the moat of one of the Water Palaces. The photo to the right shows the main features of Water Garden 3, the two primary islands, located above the four interlocking pools of Water Garden 1, to the left and right of the main road leading through the Fountain Gardens to the Sigiriya Rock.