(pronounced as one syllable in English, "Gaul", and in Sinhalese is galla a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period. The major river is Gin River (Gin Ganga) which starts from Gongala Kanda and passing villages such as Neluwa, Nagoda, Baddegama, Thelikada, Wakwella and kisses the sea at Ginthota. In Wakwella over the river there is Wakwella Bridge which is the longest bridge in Sri Lanka.
  
 
   
Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos),[1] which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. The Sigiriya was built during the reign of King Kassapa I (AD 477 – 495), and it is one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.
  
 
 
While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real Polonnaruwa Hero of the history books is actually his grandson, Parakramabahu I. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished under the patronage of the King, who was adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted, and each be used toward the development of the land; hence, irrigation systems far superior to those of the Anuradhapura Age were constructed during Parakramabahu's reign, systems which to this day supply the water necessary for paddy cultivation during the scorching dry season in the east of the country. The greatest of these systems, of course is the Parakrama Samudraya or the Sea of Parakrama, a tank so vast that it is often mistaken for the ocean. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a defensive border against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace. The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign.
  
 
   
Ambuluwawa Mountain in Gampola District reaches to a height of 1065 meters and vegetation is mostly disturbed. To study lichens three sites, each 100m2 in area, at different elevations (high <990m),>Alstonia macrophylla, Albizzia lebbek, Macaranga tomentosa were selected to study corticolous lichens. Alstonia macrophylla was present in all sites while Albizzia lebbek was present in sites one and three. Macaranga tomentosa was present in site two only. Rocks were used for sexicolous species.
  
 
   
This ancient land is blessed with a slew of sites which have immense historical and archaeological significance. Some of these sites have made way into the UNESCO’s map of World Heritage Sites. These places have emerged as the hub of tourists from all across the globe fascinating the beholders at the very first glimpse.

Anuradhapura
206 kms from Colombo, it was the original capital of Sri Lanka established around a cutting from Buddha's fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitra. This sacred city flourished for 1,300 years, until when it was reduced into rubbles in an invasion in 993. The city, with its fascinating palaces, monasteries and monuments, lay hidden in the thick jungles until it was rediscovered and made accessible for visitors.
  
 
 
Buddhism has been the biggest influence in moulding the variegated cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. In addition, much of the culture of south India have also made inroads into the social fabric of the island. The Europeans, particularly the Dutch and the British who colonised the island , added their own cultural hues, thus, creating a motley blend which is embellished by the architecture, sculpture, paintings, dances, theatre, cuisines et. al.

Art, Architecture and Crafts
The classical architecture, sculpture and painting of the island bear the Buddhist trademark. Buddhist Stupas are scattered all over the countryside, and there are several exquisite Buddhist sculptures, especially at Aukana and Buduruvagala. Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa showcases the archaeological legacy of Sri Lanka.Today, Kandy is the cultural hub of the country. Dutch forts, churches, British residences, clubs and courthouses are reminiscient of the colonial era. The city of Galle is home to the finest colonial monuments of the country. Woodcarving, weaving, pottery and metalwork bear the touch of rare artistic finesse. Sri Lanka is renowned for its gems. While the best of Sri Lankan masks come from Ambalangoda, Ratnapura is the honey pot of Sri Lanka's gem trade.
  
 
   

Nuwara Eliya: The town was founded by Samuel Baker as a hill retreat for the British during the colonial era, where typical English pastimes including golf ,fox hunting, polo and cricket were played.

Although the town was founded in the 19th century by Englishmen, the site was frequently visited by native Sinhalese travellers. It has also been an area of pre-historic human beings as recent archaeological findings confirm.[citation needed]

Many of the buildings retain features from the colonial period, and even new hotels are often built and furnished in the colonial style. The Hill Club is one of the best preserved hotels, and charges admission for non-residents who wish to wallow in its nostalgia. Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.

  
 
   
Jaffna Kingdom
In northern Sri Lanka, the Jaffna Kingdom (1215-1619; also known as the Kingdom of Aryacakravarti) began with the invasion of one Magha also called as Kulankai Chakravarti claiming to be from Kalinga in India. Some historians says the Tamil word Kulangai often misspelled as Kalinga because he had a defect in one arm,[4] which is the reason he was called Kulangai. It eventually became a tribute paying client of the Pandyan Empire in India around the 1250s only to become independent with the fragmentation of the Pandyan control. For a brief period in the early and middle fourteenth century it was an ascending power in Sri Lanka with all major kingdoms becoming its tributaries only to become occupied by the rival Kotte Kingdom in the 1450s.

After it was reconstituted its rulers energies were directed towards consolidating its economic potential by maximizing revenue from pearls and elephant exports and land revenue. It was less feudalized than most of other Sri Lanka kingdoms of the same period. Important local Tamil literature was produced and Hindu temples were built during this period including an academy for language advancement.

  
 
    Historical records suggest that Kandy was first established by the King Wickramabahu (1357-1374 CE) near the Watapuluwa area, north of the present city, and named Senkadagalapura at the time, although some scholars suggest the name Katubulu Nuwara may also have been used. The origin of the more popular name for the city, Senkadagala, could have been from a number of sources. These include naming after a brahmin named Senkanda who lived in a cave near the city, after a queen of King Wickramabahu named Senkanda or after a colored stone named Senkadagala.

Kingdom of Kandy

In 1592 Kandy became the capital city of the last remaining independent kingdom in the island after the coastal regions had been conquered by the Portuguese. Several invasions by the Portuguese and the Dutch (16th, 17th and 18th century) and later by the British (most notably in 1803) were repelled. Portuguese invasions in the 16th century and 17th century were entirely unsuccessful.

  
 
 
The Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka wildlife department in a 25-acre (100,000 m2) coconut property near the Maha Oya river. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned elephants found in the jungle. As of 2008, there are about 84 elephants.
In 1978 the orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens from the Department of Wildlife and a captive breeding program was launched in 1982. Since this time over twenty three elephants have been born. The aim of the orphanage is to simulate the natural world.
 
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