Dambulla Cave Temple

The Dambulla Cave Temple (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, containing over 150 Buddha statues and extensive murals. [1][3]

The caves have been used as a place of worship since the 1st century BCE, when King Valagamba took refuge there during an invasion. He later converted the caves into a temple complex after reclaiming his throne. The site has been expanded and embellished by successive Sinhalese kings over two millennia. [1][2]

The five caves contain a remarkable collection of Buddhist art, including a 14-meter reclining Buddha carved from rock. The murals covering approximately 2,100 square meters of ceiling and wall space depict scenes from the life of the Buddha and the history of Sri Lanka. [1][2]

The Dambulla Cave Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It remains an active place of worship and a major pilgrimage destination for Sri Lankan Buddhists. [3][1]

The Dambulla cave temple remains an active place of Theravada Buddhist worship and a major pilgrimage stop in Sri Lanka, set on a rock rising above the surrounding plain. Pilgrims climb to the terrace of caves to make offerings before the many Buddha images enshrined within. [1][3]

Five caves shelter more than 150 statues and roughly 2,100 square meters of murals covering the ceilings and walls, including a fourteen-meter reclining Buddha carved from the living rock. The painted ceilings follow the contours of the stone, depicting the life of the Buddha and episodes from Sri Lankan history. [1][3][2]

Tradition traces the sanctuary to the first century BCE, when King Valagamba is said to have sheltered in the caves and later converted them into a temple, after which successive Sinhalese rulers enriched the site. It is among the best-preserved cave-temple complexes in the Theravada Buddhist world. [1][2][3]