Kurunegala

It was only for half a century that Kurunegala remained the royal capital , starting with the reign of Buvanekabahu II (1293-1302) followed by Parakramabahu IV (1302-1326). Today, it is an important cross-roads town, astride the route from Kandy to the Puttalam and Colombo to Anuradapura. Overlooked by huge rocky outcrops, it enjoys a pleasant location .Some of these rocks have been given names of the animals they resemble:- elephant rock, tortoise rock etc. Situated at the foot of the 325km black rock Etagala there are excellent views of across the lake from the top. It is also within easy reach of a few sites which are not frequented by tourists. Except a few stone steps and a part of the doorway there is little left of the Tooth relic temple here.

Kurunegala is the capital of the Wayamba Province, Sri Lanka and the Kurunegala District. A transport hub, it has a railway station, and several main roads linking important parts of the country. It is situated about 94km from Colombo, and 42km from Kandy. Kurunegala has a population of 28,571. Ethagala a rock reaching 316 meters, towers over the town, which is located at an altitude of 116 meters above sea level. Ethagala, (Elephant Rock) is a magnificent creation of nature. The shape of Ethagala resembles an Elephant. The climate is tropical monsoon, with about 1800 millimeters of rain per year. Maliyadeva College and St. Anne's College are situated in Kurunegala.