Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, Dambulla’s Buddhist Golden Caves Temple was built in the first century BC and used to serve as a shelter for monks during the raining season. Called Raja Maha Vihara originally, the caves are carved from a huge granite rock and are the best-preserved and the biggest cave system in Sri Lanka. Located at the top of the rock, a steep staircase leads to the caves, on the way people sell flowers for offerings, and monkeys await to make a snack out of them. Read on to learn everything you need to know to plan your trip to Dambulla Cave Temple (opening hours, dress code, entrance fee…)
It is really common for Buddhists or Hindus to transform caves into temples. It fits their idea of a simple life, especially for monastic life. Caves are also regarded as sacred places made by the Gods.

About the Dambulla Cave Temple

The Golden Caves Temple in Dambulla are incredibly well preserved, the murals kept all of their colors and the details are impressive, the paintings cover as much as 2 100 square meters (or 1.3 square miles). They mostly represent the temptation of Buddha by the demon Mara, and the first time he preached. There are 153 Buddha sculptures present in the caves, and contrary to most Buddha statues, four. There’s also a statue of Vishnu and one of Saman, as well as statues of kings and deities.

Additionally, to the sculptures and paintings, the rock hosts 80 caves, five sanctuaries, and four main temples. The temples were created by the Raja Vattagamani Abhaya, king of Sri Lanka, during the first century BC. He had to flee his capital, Anuradhapura, when the Hindus invaded. He took refuge in Dambulla for fourteen years with the monks, living in the caves. When he got back on his throne and reconquered Anuradhapura, he decided to create temples there and make it a pilgrimage site. Since then and until the 20th century, the cave temples have been improved little by little, creating what we can admire today.