Tissamaharama is a town in Hambantota District of the Southern Province. It served as capital of the ancient Kingdom of Ruhuna in the 3rd century B.C. Only few ruins from that period are viewable today. The large artificial Tissa Wewa lake, which was a part of a sophisticated irrigation system was built during the reign of kings in the 3rd century BC.There are five main lakes in the vicinity of Tissamaharama Today, the town mainly serves as a launch point to Yala National Park and Kataragama.