Nuwara Eliya, town, south-central Sri Lanka. Town which is the capital of Central Province. Nuwara Eliya is surrounded by Badulla, Ratnapura, Kandy and Kegalle Districts. The distance from the capital city of Colombo to Nuwara Eliya is 172 km. Nuwara Eliya Town is situated within Nuwara Eliya Divisional Secretariat area in a plain at a height of 6182 feet from mean sea level. It is surrounded by two mountains i.e. Piduruthalagala , the highest mountain of the country with 8820 feet and Kikiliyamana another high mountain with 7342 feet above mean sea level.
Nuwara Eliya is said to have been founded by a couple of British officers who apparently got lost while elephant hunting. The British governor Sir Edward Barnes was notified about the town and he himself decided to reside at Nuwara Eliya and subsequently creating a health resort that was internationally renowned. The town was later the ultimate destination for English pastimes such as golf, fox hunting, polo, etc. Nuwara Eliya also has an archeological importance as well in which pre-historic human remains are found. The city is has a good reflection of the colonial period even new hotels are furnished according to the colonial era.
The city was built as a holiday resort for the soldiers of the British army in the early 18s. It was named as little England and governor intended it to show some resemblance to cities in England. The city was planned at the foot of Pidurutalagala Mountain. Nuwara Eliya expands well over 17 Sq.km and surrounded by mountains. The British nationals were flocked to the city during their occupation of the country. The city was planned to entertain the British officers and the city was given similarities to their native cities with English style building and imported trees and plants from England. As the largest city in the mountains, Nuwara Eliya plays an important role in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. Undoubtedly, Nuwara Eliya is the most popular health resort on the island and features a blend of colonial charm, modern development and slum areas, inherited from the colonial plantation culture.
Nuwara Eliya was an important seat of British colonial administration. Due to its healing climate and some similarities of vegetation to the home country, the British administration decided to develop Nuwara Eliya as a holiday destination.
