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Interesting places in pearl of the Indian Ocean.
Though our country is Small Island it has nine provinces and twenty five districts. First of all we are going to discuss about the Trincomale district.
Trincomale district.
Trincomale is one of the most interesting place in our country which is situated in Eastern province.
Area - 7.5 km2 (2.9 sq mi)
Population (2010) – 101,958
Density – 13,594/km2
If you visit this area you can see many interesting places such as Trinco natural harbor, Nilaweli beach, Koneshwaram temple, seven hot water springs and many other tanks. Trinco is a one of most tourist attracted place of the country. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. The city also has the largest Dutch fort in Sri Lanka.
Trincomale is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. It is one of the main centers of Tamil speaking culture on the island. Historically referred to as Gokanna, or Gokarna it has been a sea port that has played a major role in maritime and international trading history of Sri Lanka.
The Koneswaram Temple.
Most of the Tamils and Sinhalese believe that this place is sacred to them and they are the indigenous people of the area. Trincomalee and its environs have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists.
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One of the most impressive Hindi Temples in Sri Lanka can be found in Trincomale.
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The Koneswaram Temple in Trincomale
Above the city of Trincomale on the 150 meter high Swami Rock one of the most popular venues of Trinco is still the wonderful Hindi Temple Koneswaram, which is dedicated to Shiva.
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The Koneswaram Temple in Trincomale
This wonderful Hindu temple is now the most popular venue for the Tamil population and also foreign visitors.
It was built in the 17nth century on the ruins of a much older temple, which had been destroyed by the Portuguese in 1622.
With the stones they had built their near by Fort Frederick, which was taken over later by the Dutch and British troops.
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View from the Koneswaram Temple on Trincomale
Hypnotic Hindi music, a marvelous view and friendly priests make a visit a very pleasant experience.
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Trincomale buddhist temples
There are several Buddhist historical sites around the Trincomalee, meaning that there had been a Buddhist inhabitance in the area for many centuries. These include the famous Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara (Seruwila Temple), south of the trico town, which is under consideration to be declared a UNESCO world heritage site dating back to 2nd century B.C. the Sri Gajaba Len Vihara (Sri Gajaba Cave Temple), Tiriyay temple and the Welgam temple.
Post independence
Sri Lankan naval ship at Trincomalee
The naval and air bases were take over by Sri Lanka in 1957, today SLNS Tissa and SLN Dockyard are used by the Sri Lankan Navy, while the Sri Lanka Air Force is based at SLAF China Bay. The Sri Lanka Army has its Security Forces Headquarters - East in Trincomalee.
Trincomalee War Cemetery, is one of the six commonwealth war cemeteries in Sri Lanka, it is maintained by Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Navy Base is home to a naval museum called The Hoods Tower Museum. The name of the museum refers to a watchtower built on a hill commanding a 360-degree view of the harbor and the bay.
Harbour
Trincomalee's strategic importance has shaped its recent history. The great European powers vied for mastery of the harbour. The Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the English, each held it in turn, and there have been many sea battles nearby.
The harbour, the fifth largest natural harbour in the world, is overlooked by terraced highlands, its entrance is guarded by two headlands, and there is a carriage road along its northern and eastern edges.
Trincomalee's location, in a less well developed and sparsely populated area, has in the past hampered its own development. Nevertheless plans are under way to develop Trincomalee as a commercial seaport.
Trincomalee is a natural deep-water harbor, which is rated as one of the finest of its kind in the world and attracted great sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders China and East Asia from the ancient times.
The long and wide beaches here offer surfing, scuba diving and fishing and whale watching. This sea town is home to the Thirukonesvaram Kovil, which is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sri Lanka.
Hot springs
There are the seven hot springs of Kanniya on the road to Trincomalee. A high wall bounds the rectangular enclosure which includes all seven springs. Each is in turn enclosed by a dwarf wall to form a well. The water is warm, the temperature of each spring being slightly different. The use of the springs for bathing is controlled by the neighbouring Mari Amman Kovil, who holds the lease of the well.
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