Sri Jayewardenapura, Kotte, founded in the 3rd quarter of the 14th century by King Vikramabahu III’s powerful Prime Minister Nissanka Alakesvara, who was earlier known as Nissanka Alagakonara, was the seat of Government of Sri Lanka in the glorious reign of that illustrious monarch Parakramabahu VI. Kotte was also the abode of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, now enshrined in the Dalada Mali
gawa in Kandy. The city’s fame was eulogized in superlative terms by scholar poet the Venerable Totagamuwe Sri Rahula in his epistle poem of classic fame, the Selalihini Sandeshaya. Today, the glory and the beauty of Parakramabahu VI’s Sri Jayewardenapura, Kotte are lovingly shown on the Lobby walls of the Parliament by that legendary painter, Dr. L.T.P. Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte was in the 1st century the capital of the then most powerful of the several kingdoms of Sri Lanka. The Administrative Capital of Sri Lanka since 1982 is Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte. The House of Parliament was shifted from Colombo, the previous capital, to a newly constructed building on a small island in the centre of “Diyawanna Oya”, an ancient waterway in Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte. It was ceremonially declared open on 29th April 1982 at the auspicious hour of 10.28 a.m. by the then President, Junius Richard Jayewardene. This is the third building erected to house the Legislature of the Island since it was set up in 1833. Colombo is the Commercial Capital now
