Capital of Sri Lanka

• Abhayanagara, Unknown. Capital of Abhaya, King of Sri Lanka (then known as Ojadīpa) in the time of Kakusandha Buddha.[1]
• Sirīsavatthu, Until 543 BC[2]

Pre Anuradhapura period (543–377 BC)

• Tambapaṇṇī, 543 BC–505 BC[3][4]
• Upatissagāma, 505 BC–504 BC[5]
• Vijithapura, 504–474 BC[6]
• Upatissagāma, 474 BC–438 BC[5]
• Anurādhapura, 438 BC–437 BC[7]

Anuradhapura period (437 BC–1017)

• Anurādhapura, 437 BC–7th century AD[7][8]
  • Sigiriya,[note 1] 473–491 (During the reign of Kassapa I (473–491))[9][10]
• Anurādhapura, 7th century–667
• Polonnaruwa,[note 2] 667‑683 (During the reign of Aggabodhi IV (667‑683))[11][8][12]
• Anurādhapura, 683–772
• Polonnaruwa, 772‑777 (During the reign of Aggabodhi VII (772‑777))[11][12]
• Anurādhapura, 777–797
• Polonnaruwa, 797‑801 (During the reign of Udaya I (797‑801))[11][12]
• Anurādhapura, 801–833
• Polonnaruwa, 833‑853 (During the reign of Sena I (833‑853))[11][12]
• Anurādhapura, 853–1029[13]

Polonnaruwa period (1017–1232)

• Chola conquest of Anuradhapura
  • Polonnaruwa (Chola), 1029–1055[14][13]
  • Rohana (Sinhalese), 1029–1055[13]

• Polonnaruwa period
  • Polonnaruwa, 1055– 1232[15][16][13]

Transitional period (1232–1597)

• Polonnaruwa, 1232–1255[15][16][13]
• Dambadeniya, 1255–1270s (During the reigns of Vijayabahu III (1232–1236), Parakramabahu II (1236–1270), Vijayabahu IV (1270–1272) & part of Bhuvanaikabahu I (1272–1284))[17]
• Yapahuwa, 1270s–1284 (Part of the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu I (1272–1284))[18][17][19]
• Polonnaruwa, 1287–1293 (During the reign of Parakramabahu III (1287–1293))[20][19]
• Kurunegala, 13th century–14th century (During the reigns of Bhuvanaikabahu II (1293–1302) & Parakramabahu IV (1302–1326))[18][17][19]
• Gampola,[note 3] 1341–1356 (During the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu IV (1341–1351) & part of the reign of Parakramabahu V (1344–1359))[21][22][23]
• Dedigama, 1356–1359 (During the co-reigns of Parakramabahu V & Vikramabahu III (1356–1359))[23]
• Gampola, 1359–1374 (Part of the reign of Vikramabahu III (1356–1374) & part of the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu V (1371–1408))[23]
• Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 1371–1597 (During the reign of Bhuvanaikabahu V (1371–1408)), capital of the Kingdom of Kotte)[24][17][25][26][27]
  • Rayigama, 1411–1414 (During the early part of the reign of Parakramabahu VI (1411–1466))[28]

Kandyan period (1597–1815)

• Kandy, 1597–1815

British Ceylon period (1815–1948)

• Colombo, 1815–1948

Modern Sri Lanka (1948–present)

• Colombo, 1948–1982[29]
• Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 1982–present

Transitional period (1232–1597)

When the island was divided during the Transitional period, multiple capital cities existed at one time.

• Nallur, 1255–1620 (capital of the Jaffna Kingdom)[18][19]
• Kandy, 1469–1597 (During the early part of the reign of Senasammata Vikramabahu (1469–1511), capital of the Kingdom of Kandy)[30]
• Sitawaka, 1521–1594 (capital of the Kingdom of Sitawaka)