Kurunegala, located 93 km away from Colombo, in the Northwest Province of Sri Lanka is a major commercial center. The town of Kurunegala is a transportation hub with main road leading to Puttalama in the Northwest, Dambulla in the Northwest and Kandy in the Southeast. The northern railway line from Colombo has its railway station at Kurunegala just a kilometer southeast of the main bus station.

To the north of the town center is Kurunegala reservoir that irrigate the agricultural district of Kurunegala. The city is surrounded by rock outcrops. The largest rocky outcrops of Kuruviniyagala (Tortoise Rock) and Etagala (Elephant Rock) are to the east of the city. Atop the southern end of Etagala is an enormous modern statue of Buddha and Etagala Vihara Buddhist temple.

Kurunegala had its glory during a brief period of a half century during the reign of Sinhalese Kings Buvanekabahu II (1293-1302) followed by Parakramabahu IV (1302-1326). Though town has no archeological ruins, the district of Kurunegala district is cluttered with archeological sites. The main archeological, historical and cultural sites within a radius of 25km are Yapahuwa Rock Fortress, Panduwas Nuwara, Padeniya Raja Mahavihara Buddhist temple, Arankele ancient Buddhist monastery, and Ridi Viharaya temple.