Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Kotte is the capital city of Sri Lanka.

It sits near the big city of Colombo.

A long time ago, it was a fortress. It sat by two streams. This made the city safe from enemies.

The old city had high walls. It also had a deep moat. A moat is a ditch filled with water.

Today, the city has a new Parliament. It sits on a small island. This island is in the middle of a lake.

Many people live and work in Kotte. It is a busy place to visit.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the capital city of Sri Lanka.

It sits near the big city of Colombo.

A long time ago, Kotte was a fortress. It was a water fortress shaped like a triangle.

Two streams helped protect the city. A large moat, which is a deep ditch, also kept enemies away. The kings lived in grand palaces. Some palace walls were made of quartz. These walls would sparkle in the moonlight.

In 1982, the city became the official capital. This happened when the new Parliament building opened.

The building sits on Duwa. Duwa is a small island in a large lake. The lake was made by clearing out marshlands.

Many people live in Kotte. Most people there are Sinhalese. Most people follow the Buddhist religion. The city has many schools and hospitals. You can also find many sports clubs here. Cricket is the most popular sport in the area. People also play football in local parks and stadiums.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the capital city of Sri Lanka.

It sits right next to Colombo, which is the country's economic capital. The city is surrounded by many different areas like Rajagiriya, Nugegoda, and Nawala. It is a busy urban center where many different kinds of people live together. Most people in the city are Sinhalese and follow the Buddhist religion. However, you will also find many Tamil, Moor, and Muslim neighbors there.

Long ago, Kotte was a very strong fortress. A leader named Nissanka Alagakkonara built it in the 13th century. It was known as a water fortress because of its shape.

The Diyawanna Oya and Kolonnawa Oya streams formed two sides of a triangle. A large moat was dug along the third side for safety. The walls were built using a rock called laterite. These thick walls and deep ditches helped keep the city safe from enemies.

In the 1300s, the city gained a beautiful new name. It was called Sri Jayawardenepura, which means the resplendent city of growing victory. For a long time, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Kotte. The kings lived in grand, three-story palaces. Some of these palace walls were made of quartz. These special stones would sparkle when the moonlight hit them. The city also had beautiful flower gardens and many water springs.

Things changed when the Portuguese arrived in 1505. They eventually took control of the city by 1565. Later, the city was abandoned and Colombo became the capital instead. Many old buildings were even torn up for materials. Some of these old pieces were used to build the Victoria Bridge. In 1982, the government moved the capital back to Kotte.

This happened when the new Parliament building opened.

The new Parliament sits on an island called Duwa. This island is in the middle of a large lake. The lake was made by clearing out the marshlands nearby.

Today, the city is a place for learning and health. It has many schools, like the Open University of Sri Lanka. There are also important hospitals, such as the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital. People also enjoy sports like cricket and football in local parks.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the official administrative capital of Sri Lanka.

It is located adjacent to Colombo, which serves as the nation's economic capital. The city is bordered by several distinct urban areas. To the north lies the Kolonnawa Urban Council area. The east is bounded by the Kaduwela Municipal Council. To the south-east is Maharagama, and the south-west is Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. The western boundary meets the Colombo Municipal Council. This city serves as a vital hub for the country's government and legislature.

The history of Kotte began with a natural defensive advantage. The village of Darugama sat at the confluence of two streams. These were the Diyawanna Oya and the Kolonnawa Oya. In the 13th century, a local chieftain named Nissanka Alagakkonara built a fortress here. This structure was known as a jala durgha, or water fortress. It was shaped like a triangle using the two marshes as sides. A large inner moat was dug along the third land side. The city was fortified with thick ramparts made of laterite rock.

In 1391, the city received a grand new name. Following the conquest of Jaffna, it was called Sri Jayawardenepura. This means the resplendent city of growing victory. It served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kotte until the late 16th century. The royal palace was a magnificent three-story structure. Its walls were made of quartz that sparkled in the moonlight. The city featured golden spires, flower gardens, and water springs. It also housed the Dalada Maligawa, which contains the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. Other important sites included the royal cemetery at Beddagana and the military training ground called Angampitiya.

Foreign influence changed the course of the city's history. The Portuguese arrived on the island in 1505. Although initially welcomed, they soon sought military and economic control. They gained full control of the city by 1565. The city struggled to defend itself against the neighboring Kingdom of Sitawaka. Because of these constant assaults, the Portuguese eventually abandoned Kotte. They moved their capital to Colombo instead. During the 19th century, urbanization began to change the landscape. Many archaeological remains were destroyed to provide building materials. Some of these materials were even used to construct the Victoria Bridge across the Kelani River.

Modern Sri Lanka restored Kotte's importance in the late 20th century. The government designated it as the new capital in 1977. This was intended to relieve the heavy congestion in Colombo. The official relocation was completed in 1982. This milestone was marked by the opening of the new Parliament building.

The parliamentary complex is located on Duwa, a 12-acre island. This island sits in the center of a large lake. The lake was created by dredging the surrounding marshlands. Before this, the island was used by Portuguese soldiers. It also previously served as a chicken farm.

Today, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is a diverse and busy urban center. According to the 2012 census, the population was 107,508 people. The city is multi-ethnic and multi-religious. Most residents are Sinhalese, making up about 84.89% of the population. Other groups include Sri Lankan Tamil, Sri Lankan Moor, and Burgher communities. Regarding religion, 77.06% of the people are Buddhist. Roman Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, and other Christians also live in the city. This diversity makes the city a complex social environment.

The city provides essential services like education and healthcare. It is home to the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and the Open University of Sri Lanka. Many different types of schools operate here, including national and international institutions. For health, the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital is a major facility. It was provided as a gift from the Japanese government. The city also has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it stays warm with plenty of rain throughout the year. People also enjoy various sports, especially cricket and football, in the local grounds and stadiums.