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Kotte
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte or Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the official capital of Sri Lanka. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of, and a satellite city of, Colombo.HistoryThe village of Darugama lay at the confluence of two streams, the Diyawanna Oya and the Kolonnawa Oya. As Darugama was a naturally secure place, it was not easy for enemies to enter it. Here, in the 13th century, a chieftain named Nissanka Alagakkonara built a Kotte (meaning fortress)Alagakkonara is mentioned by Ibn Batuta as ruling in Kurunegala, but other sources indicate that he was the Bandara (Guardian) of Raigama Korale (county) in the modern Kalutara District. Arya Chakravarthy's army was held by Alagakkonara in front of Kotte, while he defeated the enemy's invasion fleet at Panadura to the south-west.Kotte was a jala durgha (water fortress), in the shape of a triangle, with the Diyawanna Oya and Kolonnawa Oya marshes forming two long sides; along the shorter third (land) side a large moat (the 'inner moat') was dug. The fortress was nearly 2.5sqkm in area, fortified with ramparts of kabook or laterite rock, high and in breadth.In 1391, following the conquest of the Jaffna Kingdom by Prince Sapumal (Sembahap Perumal), Kotte was given the epithet 'Sri Jayawardhanapura' ('resplendent city of growing victory'). It became the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kotte, which it remained until the end of the 16th century.Kotte is in Western Province. Use our Sri Lanka itinerary builder app to plan your trip to Kotte and other destinations in Sri Lanka.
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