Matale: History
Archaeological findings at Ibbankatuwa (near Dambulla) place early Iron Age settlement in the district to approximately 750–400 BCE. One of the most significant events in Buddhist history occurred in the district at the Aluvihare Rock Temple in the 1st century BCE, where the Pali Canon (Tripitaka) was first committed to writing on palm leaves by a council of monks during the reign of King Valagamba.
The district is home to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, built by King Kashyapa (477–495 CE) as his royal capital, and the Dambulla cave temple, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. During the British colonial era, Matale was a centre of resistance; the Matale Rebellion of 1848, led by Gongalegoda Banda and Puran Appu, was centred in the district and marked a transition from feudal anti-colonial revolt to broader popular resistance.