Sri Jayawardenepura KotteCapital
Sri Lanka · Country profile
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka, the low, watery city of the marshes and the lakes that spreads its modern parliament complex, its government offices and its quiet residential streets along the southern edge of the greater Colombo metropolis. Rising from the site of the medieval Sinhalese kingdom of Kotte, which ruled the island through the fifteenth and the sixteenth centuries, it carries the ancient moats and the rampart traces of that long-lost court beside the new state buildings and the lotus ponds of the parliamentary island. The parliament, the old royal city remains, the Buddhist temples and the wetland sanctuaries of the town anchor the essential visits, while Colombo, with its towers, its markets and its coast, sits a short drive away. Watery, green and administratively calm, Kotte is the dignified seat of the Sri Lankan state within the shadow of the great metropolis.
About Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the capital of Sri Lanka. The city's documented population is around 106,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) and Sinhala and Tamil are spoken; the dialling code is +94.
The Parliament of the Island and the Lake of the Diyawanna
This is a government and diplomatic district more than a tourist town, its days set by the parliamentary sessions and the office hours of the ministries rather than by sights and shops. The essential stop is the newly built parliamentary complex with its golden-roofed chamber on its island in the lake, and the surrounding government avenues with their clipped gardens. The old kingdom traces, the temples of the historical city and the wetlands with their birdlife give the green layer, while the hotels, the markets and the energy of the great city lie just beyond the boundary. It works best as a calm, purposeful interlude or a base near the business of the country.
The Old Royal City and the Moats of the Kingdom
The climate is the hot, humid tropical of the west of the island, with the two monsoons of the rainy year, the gentle heat and the high humidity constant, and the dry, bright season of the early months the pleasant window. The rupee is the currency, the Sinhala, the Tamil and the English the languages of the capital. The parliament and the temples of the old city make the essential visits, and the great metropolis, with its sea and its markets, is minutes away by car. Light cotton clothing, an umbrella for the rains and modest dress for the temples complete the simple preparation.
The Wetlands of the Marshes and the Temples of the Capital
The parliament of the nation, the magnificent white-domed parliamentary island in the great lake with its golden roof and its chamber, is the architectural centrepiece of the modern capital, and its lawns and its fountains are best appreciated from the causeway and the surrounding roads. The remains of the medieval kingdom show at the old moat, the ramparts and the Buddhist temples of the royal city, with the ancient trees, the carvings and the stones of the vanished court, while the wetlands and the botanical gardens of the district give the green lungs of the metropolis. The neighbouring capital, with its fort district, its street markets, its mosques and its colonial-era hotels, is a short ride away and carries the commercial soul of the island. A leafy, watery seat of government beside the great city, Kotte is a calm slice of Sri Lankan statecraft.
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- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Population
- 106,000
- Coordinates
- 6.8995, 79.9058
- Capital
- Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
- Languages
- Sinhala, Tamil
- Calling code
- +94
- Country code
- LK
Entry requirements for Sri Lanka
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Sri Lanka for tourism.
Getting to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
The nearest airports we list:
Cities in Sri Lanka
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Frequently asked questions
Is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the capital of Sri Lanka?
Yes — Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the capital of Sri Lanka.
What currency do I need in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
The local currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Languages spoken in Sri Lanka include Sinhala and Tamil.
What is the dialling code for Sri Lanka?
The international dialling code for Sri Lanka is +94.
Which airport is nearest to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte?
The nearest airport we list is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), about 31 km away.
How far is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte from the nearest airport?
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is about 31 km from Bandaranaike International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Sri Lanka?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Australia (e-visa), Canada (e-visa), India (e-visa), Japan (e-visa) and Morocco (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.