Cave temples in Dambulla - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1991), located in the central part of Sri Lanka - 148 km east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy.
It is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.
The rock is 160 m above the surrounding area. There are more than 80 documented caves in the vicinity. The main attractions are located on 5 caves, which contain statues and paintings.
There is a total of
153 Buddha statues,
3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and
4 statues of gods and goddesses.
The murals cover an area of 2100 square meters. The paintings on the ceiling of the caves include the temptation of the demon Mara, and the first sermon of the Buddha, etc.
This complex dates back to the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. At that time it was already established as one of the largest and most important monasteries.
King Walagambahu converted the caves into a temple in the 1st century BC.
The king was expelled from Anuradhapura by South Indian invaders for 15 years. And he took refuge here for a while. After reclaiming the capital, the king built a temple in gratitude.
Later, many other kings added to it and by the 11th century, the caves had become one of the main religious centers of the country.
King Nissanka Malla added about 70 Buddha statues in 1190. During the 18th century, the caves were restored and painted by the Kandyan kings.
The Dambulla cave monastery is still functioning and remains the best preserved ancient cave temple in Sri Lanka.