Dambulla's five caves hold more than 150 statues of the Buddha beneath a single overhanging rock, their ceilings painted edge to edge - a temple a king founded after hiding here in exile.
About Dambulla Cave Temple
By tradition the caves became a temple in the first century BCE under King Valagamba, who is said to have taken refuge in them while driven from his throne and, on his return to power, transformed them into a Buddhist shrine. Successive kings over the following centuries added statues, gilding and the vast painted schemes that cover the caves. Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains an active place of worship and pilgrimage, its murals and statues among the finest surviving examples of Sri Lankan Buddhist cave art.
Overview The Dambulla Cave Temple, also called the Golden Temple, is a complex of five cave shrines tucked beneath an overhanging rock in central Sri Lanka, holding more than 150 statues of the Buddha and ceilings and walls painted edge to edge with religious murals. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple in the country and has been a place of worship and pilgrimage for over two thousand years.
“It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple in the country and has been a place of worship and pilgrimage for over two thousand years.”
Caves of Buddhas Each cave is a low, dim chamber lined with statues, reclining, seated and standing Buddhas, alongside images of kings and gods, the rock ceilings above them covered in intricate painting that follows the natural curves of the stone. The largest cave is a vast painted hall.
A King's Refuge The temple's origins are traced to the first century BCE, when King Valagamba is said to have sheltered in the caves during exile and, on regaining his throne, had them converted into a magnificent rock temple, expanded by later rulers.
The Climb The caves sit partway up a rock, reached by a stepped path with views over the surrounding plain toward Sigiriya.
The Experience
After the climb up the rock, you step out of the bright heat into the cool, dim caves, where rows of Buddha statues emerge from the gloom and the painted ceilings curve overhead. Moving from cave to cave, the scale of the largest hall and the density of the imagery build a powerful, meditative atmosphere. The views from the temple terrace over the plain, with Sigiriya in the distance, are a bonus, and the site is an easy and rewarding stop on the Cultural Triangle circuit.
Why It Matters
The Dambulla Cave Temple is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holding an exceptional collection of Buddhist statuary and centuries of cave murals in continuous worship for over two millennia.
Why Visit
It offers an extraordinary concentration of Buddhist art in a dramatic rock setting, easily combined with Sigiriya nearby. Climb in the cooler morning, remove shoes and cover up for the shrines, and take time to study the painted ceilings cave by cave.
Insider Tips
- 1
Climb in the morning before the heat builds on the exposed stepped path to the caves.
- 2
Dress modestly and be ready to remove shoes and hats at the shrine entrances.
- 3
Study the painted ceilings, which follow the natural curves of the cave rock.
- 4
Combine it with Sigiriya, a short drive away, on the Cultural Triangle route.
- 5
Mind the monkeys near the entrance, which can snatch food and loose items.
