Kurunegala-towered by the elephant rock 

Named after the giant elephant shaped rock which stands over its men and township, Kurunegala enjoys a pleasant location overlooked by huge rocky outcrops. 

Having ascended to Sri Lanka’s capital city in the 13 th Century due to invasions of Aryachakrwarthi, it remained a citadel for a century until losing its glory to Gampola. Today Kurunegala is a transit city on road and railway on the way to Anuradhapura, Kandy, Puttalam, Trincomalee and Negombo. 

With many a coconut and rubber plantations surrounding the Kurunegala is also a city in waiting to be explored. The giant boulders, which are strangely similar to various animals dominates the city’s landscape and the Buddha statue built on the famous athugala is one of city’s major landmarks. The clock towers in the midst of town had been built in memory of soldiers who fought in the King’s army during the First World War. 

Ruins of the once glorious Panduwasnuwara, Dambadeniya and Yapahuwa too are located as the testaments of ancient Hasthishailapura.