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Mapagala fortress
Part of Matale District
Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Mapagala fortress
Coordinates	7°57′04″N 80°45′28″E / 7.951248°N 80.757718°E / 7.951248; 80.757718
Type	Defence fort
Site information
Condition	Remnant
Site history
Built by	Anuradhapura Kingdom

Mapagala fortress was an ancient fortified complex of the Anuradhapura Kingdom long before Kasyapa I built his city, Sigiriya. It is located to the South of Sigiriya and closer to Sigiriya tank.

It was built by using unshaped boulders to about 20 ft high. Each stone is broad and thick and some of them are about 10 ft high and about 4 ft wide. It is believed that it was built before the time of usage of metal tools. Arthur Maurice Hocart noted that cyclopean style stone walls were used for the fortress, and square hammered stones were used for the ramparts of the citadel. However, his note suggests metal (iron) tools were used for construction. Excavations work in this areas found a few stone forges, which proved Hocart's claim on the usage of metal tools.

References

1. "Ancient city of Sigiriya ("The Lion Rock")". Archived from the original on 13 June 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
2. "Remarks on Metal Intcriirtions". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
3. "Exploring the Sigiri-bim". Daily News. Retrieved 24 November 2014.

Further reading

• Cooray, Nilan (2012). The Sigiriya Royal Gardens: Analysis of the Landscape Architectonic Composition. TU Delft.

v t e Forts of Sri Lanka
Ancient Forts	Balana fort Mapagala fortress Sigiriya Sitawaka fort Vijithapura Yapahuwa
Colonial Forts	Portuguese Forts Arandora fort Arippu fort Batticaloa fort Colombo fort Delft Island fort Fort Fredrick Fort Hammenheil Galle Fort Haldummulla fort Hanwella fort Jaffna fort Kalutara fort Kayts Island fort Kotugodella fort Malwana fort Mannar fort Matara fort Menikkadawara fort Negombo fort Pooneryn fort Ratnapura Portuguese fort Ruwanwella fort Dutch Forts Elephant Pass fort Fort Beschutter Fort Ostenburg Fort Pyl Kalpitiya fort Kankesanthurai fort Katuwana fort Koddiyar fort Mullaitivu fort Point Pedro fort Ratnapura Dutch fort Star fort Tangalle fort British Forts Fort MacDowall Martello tower
Less or no contribution/renovation works of Dutch are marked by † symbol under "Portuguese Forts", and others are considered as Dutch forts too.

• Forts in Central Province, Sri Lanka
• Kingdom of Anuradhapura
• Buildings and structures in Matale District