Dambulla Royal Cave Temple

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Dambulla Royal Cave Temple
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Kandy – Jaffna Hwy
Dambulla, Sri Lanka
04-02-2024
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Dambulla Royal Cave Temple

This ancient cave temple complex is the largest and best-preserved temple complex in Sri Lanka.

Through the golden mouth of a lion-like creature and a short hike up a hill are five gorgeous caves that are home to some of the most magnificent temples in Sri Lanka. The caves contain larger-than-life statues and elaborate, vibrant paintings of Buddha.

Visitors can wander through colonial style outdoor hallways that connect the caves with man-made lily ponds. For more than two millennia, this has been a Buddhist pilgrimage site. The site dates as far back as the first century BC and is still home to Buddhist monks who manage the property.

The temple was carved directly into the rock face in such a way that rainwater never enters the interior caves. The exterior remains a striking white color, despite much of the conservation of the site focusing on the interior murals.

Of the five caves, the largest is over 160 feet (50 meters) wide and 65 feet (20 meters) deep. Known as the Cave of the Great Kings, it houses not only statues of Buddha in various poses, but also statues of the gods Vishnu and Saman, as well as Sri Lankan kings of old.

Many tourists combine a visit to Dambulla with a trip to Sigiriya as the two are not far apart. Sigiriya, the Lion Rock, can be seen from the Dambulla cave temple complex.

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