Must-see attractions in Dambulla

  • Interior of Royal Rock Temple, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

    Cave Temples

    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…

  • Cave II (Maharaja Viharaya)

    Dambulla

    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;…

  • Cave IV (Pachima Viharaya)

    Dambulla

    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…

  • Dambulla Produce Market

    Dambulla

    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…

  • Cave III (Maha Alut Viharaya)

    Dambulla

    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…

  • 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…

  • Museum of Wall Paintings

    Dambulla

    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…

  • Cave I (Devaraja Viharaya)

    Dambulla

    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…

  • Cave V (Devana Alut Viharaya)

    Dambulla

    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…

  • Clock Tower

    Dambulla

    This landmark tower marks Dambulla's central crossroads.

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