Matale City

Matale, often written as Mathale, is a large regional city located at the heart of the island. It lies in a broad, fertile valley at an elevation of 364 m (1,194 ft) above sea level. It is the administrative capital and largest city of Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is 142 kilometres (88 mi) from Colombo and near Kandy. Surrounding the city are the Knuckles Mountain Range, whose foothills were called Wiltshire by the British.

Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka. The Knuckles Mountain Range is a prominent landmark of Matale. The Matale administrative district also contains the historic Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Aluvihare Temple, and Dambulla Cave Temple. The surrounding Knuckles foothills, once referred to as Wiltshire, enhance the region’s scenic beauty. It is mainly an agricultural area, where tea, rubber, vegetable, and spice cultivation dominate.

The Aluvihare Temple, located on the northern side of the town, is the historic site where the Pali Canon was first written down completely in text on ola (palm) leaves. Situated near Aluvihare are numerous monastery caves, some of which exhibit fine frescoes.