Dambulla Cave Temples, Dambulla
Sri Lanka, Cultural Triangle

Dating back to the 1st century BC, the cave temple at Dambulla is one of the most impressive in Asia. Consisting of five caves overhung by a vast rock towering 160metres over the surrounding plains, the temple was embellished with arched colonnades and gabled entrances in 1938 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

Each of the five caves at Dambulla house ancient statues of the Buddha and historic artwork depicting the Buddhas life. The grounds surrounding the cave temple also feature a functioning Buddhist Monastery which dates back to the second and third centuries BC.

Whilst all five of the Dambulla Cave Temples are worth exploring, three really stand out. These are the Cave of the Divine King (home to a carved rock Buddha statue reaching 14 metres high), the Cave of the Great Kings (home to 56 statues of the Buddha), and the Great New Monastery (contains 50 statues of the Buddha as well as a statue of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha, the reigning King at the time of the painting of the walls and ceiling).

Spend a couple of hours wandering around the cave temple immersing yourself in Sri Lankan history.