Trincomalee ( Tirukōṇamalai, Trikuṇāmalaya) is the administrative headquarters of the
Trincomalee District and major resort port city of
Eastern Province,
Sri Lanka. Located on the east coast of the island overlooking the
Trincomalee Harbour, 113 miles south of
Jaffna and 69 miles north of
Batticaloa, Trincomalee has been one of the main centres of
Tamil language speaking culture on the island for over two millennia. With a population of 99,135, the city is built on a
peninsula of the same name, which divides its inner and outer harbours. People from Trincomalee are known as Trincomalians and the local authority is
Trincomalee Urban Council. Trincomalee city is home to the famous
Koneswaram temple alluded to in its historic Tamil name
Thirukonamalai and is home to other historical monuments such as the
Bhadrakali Amman Temple, Trincomalee, the Trincomalee Hindu Cultural Hall and, opened in 1897, the
Trincomalee Hindu College. Trincomalee is also the site of the
Trincomalee railway station and an ancient ferry service to Jaffna and the south side of the harbour at
Muttur.