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^[1]Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.^[1]

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 (then known as Ojadīpa) in the time of Kakusandha Buddha.^[2]
• Sirīsavatthu, until 543 BC^[3]

Historical

Pre-Anuradhapura period (543–377 BC)

• Tambapaṇṇī, 543 BC–505 BC^[4][5]
• Upatissagāma, 505 BC–504 BC^[6]
• Vijithapura, 504–474 BC^[7]
• Upatissagāma, 474 BC–438 BC^[6]
• Anurādhapura, 438 BC–437 BC^[8]

Anuradhapura period (437 BC–1017)

• Anurādhapura, 437 BC–7th century AD, 7th century–667, 683–772, 777–797, 801–833, 853–1029^[8][9]
  • Sigiriya,^{[note 1]} 473–491 (During the reign of Kassapa I (473–491))^[10][11]
  • Polonnaruwa,^{[note 2]} 667–683 (During the reign of Aggabodhi IV (667–683))^[12][9][13]
  • Polonnaruwa, 772–777 (During the reign of Aggabodhi VII (772–777))^[12][13]
  • Polonnaruwa, 797–801 (During the reign of Udaya I (797–801))^[12][13]
  • Polonnaruwa, 833–853 (During the reign of Sena I (833–853))^[12][13]

Polonnaruwa period (1017–1232)

• Chola conquest of Anuradhapura
  • Polonnaruwa, 1029–1055 (Chola)^[14][15]
  • Rohana, 1029–1055 (Sinhalese)^[15]

• Polonnaruwa period
  • Polonnaruwa, 1055–1232^[16][17][15]

Transitional period (1232–1597)

• Polonnaruwa, 1232–1255^[16][17][15]
• Dambadeniya, 1255–1270s (During the reigns of Vijayabahu III (1232–1236), Parakramabahu II (1236–1270), Vijayabahu IV (1270–1272) and part of Bhuvanaikabahu I (1272–1284))^[18]
• Yapahuwa, 1270s–1284 (Part of the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu I (1272–1284))^[19][18][20]
• Polonnaruwa, 1287–1293 (During the reign of Parakramabahu III (1287–1293))^[21][20]
• Kurunegala, 13th century–14th century (During the reigns of Bhuvanaikabahu II (1293–1302) and Parakramabahu IV (1302–1326))^[19][18][20]
• Gampola,^{[note 3]} 1341–1356 (During the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu IV (1341–1351) and part of the reign of Parakramabahu V (1344–1359))^[22][23][24]
• Dedigama, 1356–1359 (During the co-reigns of Parakramabahu V and Vikramabahu III (1356–1359))^[24]
• Gampola, 1359–1374 (Part of the reign of Vikramabahu III (1356–1374) and part of the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu V (1371–1408))^[24]
• Kotte, 1371–1597 (During the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu V (1371–1408)), capital of the Kingdom of Kotte)^{[25][18][26][27][28]}
  • Rayigama, 1411–1414 (During the early part of the reign of Parakramabahu VI (1411–1466))^[29]

Kandyan period (1597–1815)

• Kandy, 1597–1815

British Ceylon period (1815–1948)

• Colombo, 1815–1948

Modern Sri Lanka (1948–present)

• Colombo, 1948–present^[30]
• Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 1982–present

Others

Transitional period (1232–1597)

When the island was divided during the Transitional period, multiple capital cities existed at one time.

• Nallur, 1255–1620 (capital of the Jaffna Kingdom)^[19][20]
• Kandy, 1469–1597 (During the early part of the reign of Senasammata Vikramabahu (1469–1511), capital of the Kingdom of Kandy)^[31]
• Sitawaka, 1521–1594 (capital of the Kingdom of Sitawaka)

Notes

1. Also known as Sīhagiri
2. Also known as Pulatthipura, Pulatthinagara, Jananathapura by the Colas, Vijayarajapura and Parakkamapura
3. Also known as Gaṅgāsiripura

References

Citations

1. Cite error: The named reference undefined was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
2. Malalasekera 2017a.
3. Malalasekera 2017d.
4. palikanon.com 2019.
5. Malalasekera 2017e.
6. Malalasekera 2017f.
7. Codrington 1926, p. 9.
8. Senaveratna 1930, p. 37.
9. Malalasekera 2017b.
10. UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2019.
11. Lambert 2015.
12. De Silva 2014, p. 48.
13. wisdomlib 2009.
14. De Silva 2014, p. 31.
15. De Silva 2014, p. 741.
16. Siriweera 1970, p. 23.
17. De Silva 2014, p. 87.
18. Hulugalle 2008.
19. Siriweera 1970, p. 25.
20. De Silva 2014, p. 110.
21. lakdiva.org 2019.
22. Malalasekera 2017c.
23. De Silva 2014, p. 111.
24. De Silva 2014, p. 135.
25. Somaratna 1969, p. 180.
26. Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Divisional Secretariat Office 2009.
27. Somaratna 1969, p. 93.
28. Pieris 2013, p. 24.
29. Somaratna 1969, p. 140.
30. Colombo Municipal Council 2011.
31. Somaratna 1969, p. 391.

Bibliography

• Blaze, L. E. (1933). History of Ceylon (PDF) (Eighth ed.). Colombo: Christian literature society for India and Africa.
• Codrington, H. W. (1926). A Short History Of Ceylon. London: Macmillan & Co.
• De Silva, K. M. (2014). A history of Sri Lanka ([Revised.] ed.). Colombo: Vijitha Yapa Publications. ISBN 978-955-8095-92-8.
• Pieris, Anoma (2013). Architecture and nationalism in Sri Lanka : the trouser under the cloth. London, New York: Routledge. ISBN 9780415630023.
• Senaveratna, John M. (1930). The Story of the Sinhalese from the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of "the Mahavansa" Or Great Dynasty: Vijaya to Maha Sena, B.C. 543 to A.D.302. Colombo: W. M. A. Wahid & Bros. ISBN 9788120612716.
• Siriweera, Wathuge Indrakirti (1970). "Economic Conditions of Ceylon (C.1070 A.D. to 1544)" (PDF). Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. University of London.
• Somaratna, Gintota Parana Vidanage (June 1969). "Political History Of The Kingdom Of Kotte (c. A.D. 1400-1521)" (PDF). Thesis Presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. University of London.
• "Tambapanni". www.palikanon.com. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Hulugalle, H. A. J. (5 February 2008). "Ancient capitals of Sri Lanka". Sri Lanka Guardian.
• Lambert, Courtney (15 December 2015). "Travel Sri Lanka: The Tale of Sigiriya Rock". HuffPost. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017a). "Abhaya". www.softerviews.org. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017b). "Anurādhapura". www.softerviews.org. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017c). "Bhuvanekabāhu". www.softerviews.org. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017d). "Sirīsavatthu". www.softerviews.org. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017e). "Tambapaṇṇī". www.softerviews.org. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• Malalasekera, G. P. (5 February 2017f). "Upatissagāma". www.softerviews.org. Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• "Ancient City of Sigiriya". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• "Chapter V-The Dambadeniya and Gampola kings". lakdiva.org. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• "Cultural Background". Wayback Machine. Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Divisional Secretariat Office. 12 February 2009. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
• "Pulacceri: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. wisdomlib. 12 April 2009.
• "The History of the City". Wayback Machine. Colombo Municipal Council. 2 December 2011. Archived from the original on 2 December 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2019.