Introduction
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative and judicial capital of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the southern coast of India. The town is located in the southwestern part of the country just outside Colombo, the nation's main business center. Colombo was once the only capital of Sri Lanka. During the 1980s, however, officials began developing Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte as an alternative capital to provide more room for the growing number of government buildings.
Places of interest
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is a modern town with a large administrative complex, residential areas, and public housing. The majority of the parliamentary (legislative) buildings in the town are on a piece of land surrounded by Lake Diyawanna Oya. There is also a University of Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.
History
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte was founded in the 14th century. Rulers of the Sinhalese people—Sri Lanka's largest ethnic group—established a capital there in 1415. In 1565 the capital was moved to Colombo. Colombo was still the capital at the time the nation gained independence from Great Britain in 1948. In the late 1970s the government decided to transfer some departments to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, which by then was a suburb of Colombo. In 1982 a new House of Parliament was ceremonially opened in the town. At the start of the 21st century, however, many government offices were still in Colombo. Population (2001 estimate), 116,000.
