Hatthigiripura

Hatthigiripura, the city of Elephant Rock, takes its name from the great rocky outcrop above Kurunegala in Sri Lanka’s interior. The hill is known as Ethagala because its shape resembles an elephant. The rocky heights offered a striking setting for a royal centre in the period when Sri Lanka’s capitals moved between fortified inland sites. Nearby Kurunegala became a seat of kings after the brief royal occupation of Yapahuwa, and the country around the rock formed part of that changing political landscape.