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Top Sights in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the official legislative and administrative capital of Sri Lanka, home to the national Parliament, key government institutions, wetlands, and urban parks.
In 1982, the country’s legislative capital was shifted from Colombo to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte to ease the pressure, which prompted the relocation of major state institutions and the Sri Lankan Parliament.Historically, Kotte was developed as a fortified settlement in the late 14th century under Nissanka Alagakkonara, also known as Alakesvara, to protect the southern regions of the island from incursions by the Jaffna Kingdom.It became the capital of the Kingdom of Kotte during the 15th century but declined in the 16th century after the Portuguese arrived in 1505 and tensions with the Kingdom of Sitawaka increased.In 1565, King Dharmapala of the Kingdom of Kotte was forced to abandon the capital after repeated sieges by Sitawaka, and Portuguese authorities relocated the population to the Colombo Fort area, present-day Pettah, for their safety.