Capital of Sri Lanka
The current legislative capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and the executive and judicial capital is Colombo. Over the course of the island's history, the national capital has been in several locations other than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
List of capitals
The following is a list of cities which have historically served as the capital city of Sri Lanka and its predecessor states.Mythological
- Abhayanagara, unknown. Capital of Abhaya, King of Sri Lanka in the time of Kakusandha Buddha.
- Sirīsavatthu, until 543 BC
Historical
[Pre-Anuradhapura period] (543–377 BC)
- Tambapaṇṇī, 543 BC–505 BC
- Upatissagāma, 505 BC–504 BC
- Vijithapura, 504–474 BC
- Upatissagāma, 474 BC–438 BC
- Anurādhapura, 438 BC–437 BC
[Anuradhapura period] (437 BC–1017)
- Anurādhapura, 437 BC–7th century AD, 7th century–667, 683–772, 777–797, 801–833, 853–1029
- * Sigiriya, 473–491
- * Polonnaruwa, 667–683
- * Polonnaruwa, 772–777
- * Polonnaruwa, 797–801
- * Polonnaruwa, 833–853
[Polonnaruwa period] (1017–1232)
- Chola conquest of Anuradhapura
- * Polonnaruwa, 1029–1055
- * Rohana, 1029–1055
- Polonnaruwa period
- * Polonnaruwa, 1055–1232
Transitional period">Transitional period of Sri Lanka">Transitional period (1232–1597)
- Polonnaruwa, 1232–1255
- Dambadeniya, 1255–1270s, Parakramabahu II, Vijayabahu IV and part of Bhuvanaikabahu I )
- Yapahuwa, 1270s–1284
- Polonnaruwa, 1287–1293
- Kurunegala, 13th century–14th century and Parakramabahu IV )
- Gampola, 1341–1356 and part of the reign of Parakramabahu V )
- Dedigama, 1356–1359
- Gampola, 1359–1374 and part of the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu V )
- Kotte, 1371–1597, capital of the Kingdom of Kotte)
- * Rayigama, 1411–1414
[Kandyan period] (1597–1815)
- Kandy, 1597–1815
[British Ceylon period] (1815–1948)
- Colombo, 1815–1948
Modern Sri Lanka">History of Sri Lanka (1948–present)">Modern Sri Lanka (1948–present)
- Colombo, 1948–1982
- Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 1982–present