Sigiriya Craft Village

The Sigiriya Craft Village, on Sigiriya Road, Sri Lanka has a good collection of reasonably priced handicrafts. Unfortunately the Sri Lankan Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry Website incorrectly gives its addresses as at Sigiriya Rock (Lion Rock, සීගිරිය). However the craft village is about 3km east of the rock. There are small workshops for weaving, metal and woodwork.You can see something being made, talk to the artisans and then buy it. Unfortunately, perhaps because of the low costs, tour guides seem to be reluctant to take tourists to the village.

The community hall is one of the most impressive building I saw in Sri Lanka, it is not highly decorated, not large, but has a non-nonsense presence. The building is octagonal and of brick with a terracotta roof. The wooden beams holding up the roof can be seen from inside and daylight between the tiles. There is also a clerestory for extra light and air. The windows are unglazed with unpainted wooden bars. The floor is polished concrete.