Cave Temple (Dambulla)

The centre of tourist attraction in the city of Dambulla is the Golden Cave Temple of Dambulla. It is approximately a 2hr 40min (129Km) ride from the Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo.

An active Buddhist site, the Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple is centred on a group of five cave shrines. These natural caves, which have been inhabited by forest-dwelling Buddhist monks since the third century BCE, have undergone a continuous transformation throughout history into one of the biggest and most impressive Buddhist complexes in the Southern and South Eastern Asian region, showcasing cutting-edge approaches to interior design and decoration. The shrine rooms showcase several periods of Sinhala sculpture and art. The largest Buddha statue is 15 m long, and the others range in size and expression. Over 1,500 Buddha paintings adorn the ceiling of one cave.