Interior of Royal Rock Temple, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

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Cave Temples

Top choice in Dambulla


The beautiful Royal Rock Temple complex sits about 160m above the road in the southern part of Dambulla. Five separate caves contain about 150 absolutely stunning Buddha statues and paintings, some of Sri Lanka's most important and evocative religious art. Buddha images were first created here over 2000 years ago, and over the centuries subsequent kings added to and embellished the cave art.

From the caves there are superb views over the surrounding countryside; Sigiriya is clearly visible some 20km distant.

Dambulla is thought to have been a place of worship since the 1st century BC, when King Valagamba (also known as Vattagamani Abhaya), driven out of Anuradhapura, took refuge here. When he regained his throne, he had the interior of the caves carved into magnificent rock temples. Further paintings were made by later kings, including King Nissanka Malla, who had the caves’ interiors gilded, earning the place the name Ran Giri (Golden Rock).

This process of retouching original and creating new artwork continued into the 20th century. Remarkably, the overall impact is breathtakingly coherent.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Dambulla attractions

1. Cave I (Devaraja Viharaya)

0.03 MILES

The first cave, the Temple of the King of the Gods, has a 15m-long reclining Buddha. Ananda, the Buddha’s loyal disciple, and other seated Buddhas are…

2. Cave II (Maharaja Viharaya)

0.04 MILES

The Temple of the Great King is arguably the most spectacular of the caves. It measures 52m from east to west and 23m from the entrance to the back wall;…

3. Cave III (Maha Alut Viharaya)

0.05 MILES

This cave, the New Great Temple, was said to have been converted from a storeroom in the 18th century by King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe of Kandy, one of the…

4. Cave IV (Pachima Viharaya)

0.06 MILES

The relatively small Western Cave is not the most westerly cave – that position belongs to Cave V. The central Buddha figure is seated under a makara…

5. Cave V (Devana Alut Viharaya)

0.07 MILES

This newer cave was once used as a storehouse, but it’s now called the Second New Temple. It features a reclining Buddha; Hindu deities, including…

6. Golden Temple

0.19 MILES

At the foot of the cave temples hill stands this modern temple, a kitschy structure and Buddhist museum completed in 2000 using Japanese donations. On top…

7. Museum of Wall Paintings

0.29 MILES

The English-language displays here are a good primer on Sri Lankan wall art – from cave paintings to 18th-century frescoes – but the poor reproductions…

8. Dambulla Produce Market

0.55 MILES

Even if you’re not looking to buy a truckload of bananas, this huge wholesale market south of the centre offers a fascinating look at the vast range of…