Dambulla Cave Temple

Overview

• The Dambulla Cave Monastery is a Buddhist temple complex located in the Matale district of central Sri Lanka. It is located three and a half hours from Colombo, two km to the Dambulla town, and two hours from Kandi city center.

• It is the largest and best-preserved cave complex in Sri Lanka.
  This monastery was built by King Walagamba in 7th BC. The top peak rises about 160 meters above the surrounding plain.

• There are more than 80 documented caves around it. Of these five caves, which contain sculptures and historically valuable wall paintings, the main attractions are. These paintings and sculptures are related to the life of the Lord Buddha and his teachings.

• There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lanka ancient kings, and four statues of Hindu gods (including Vishnu and Ganesh). The murals cover an area of 2,100 square meters. The paintings on the walls show the Buddha being tempted by Mara and Buddha’s first lecture ceremony. This cave monastery, with its calm surroundings, is constantly visited by domestic and foreign tourists.

• The Royal Cave Temple of Dambulla is an incredible and beautiful ancient holy site, one not to be missed when exploring Sri Lanka’s heartlands.