Golden Temple

Dambulla


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 of the cube-shaped building sits a golden Buddha image in the dhammachakka mudra (wheel-turning pose) and a huge neon sign.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Dambulla attractions

1. Museum of Wall Paintings

0.12 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…

2. Cave Temples

0.19 MILES

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…

3. Cave I (Devaraja Viharaya)

0.22 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…

4. Cave II (Maharaja Viharaya)

0.23 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;…

5. Cave III (Maha Alut Viharaya)

0.24 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…

6. Cave IV (Pachima Viharaya)

0.25 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…

7. Cave V (Devana Alut Viharaya)

0.26 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…

8. Dambulla Produce Market

0.58 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…