Dambulla cave temple complex i is a World Heritage Site 148 kilometers (92 mi) east of Colombo ,in the central part of the Sri Lanka.
The city of Dambulla is located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 north of Kandy, The city’s main attractions are the large, well-preserved monasteries.
There are around 80 cave temples in Dambulla, five of which are large. With an area of 2100 m², this is the largest temple complex in the country. Many temples have historical paintings and statues. In total there are 153 Buddha statues, three statues of kings and four statues of gods. The latter are two Hindu gods (Vishnu and Ganesh) who emerged in the 12th century. The paintings describe the life of Buddha, including Buddha’s temptation by the demon Mara and Buddha’s first sermon. Dambulla is part of the cultural triangle and is about twenty km from Sigiriya. The area is full of hotels.
The temple complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991 under the name “Golden Temple of Dambulla”.
Access : Coordinates: 7.856667, 80.649167 /
Highlights :
- The site consists of some eighty caves, five sanctuaries, four main monasteries. It has 157 statues, 153 images of Buddha, 3 royal images and 4 images of deities. The murals, covering 2,100 m2, represent, among other things, the temptation of Buddha by the demon Māra and his first sermon. There are also statues of the Hindu deities Vishnu and Saman.
Go next : The town of Dambulla / Namal Uyana forest. / The “Ancient City of Sigiriya” is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site./ Anuradhapura is a UNESCO World Heritage listed city in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka.