Dambulla Royal Cave Temple
Description
Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. ... There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and the Ganesha. The murals cover an area of 2,100 square metres (23,000 sq ft).
The Dambulla temple has five caves and 157 statues of the Lord Buddha, many paintings on the ceilings and walls that emphasis the artistic talent of ancient days.
The history of the caves, rock and temple dates from the 1st century BC. The fascination of these caves is not only the statues but also the many intricate and delicate paintings that cover the ceiling and walls, created with indigenous traditional paints.
Because of the history, archaeological and artistic implications, the premises were declared as one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1991. The temple has been in use for over 22 centuries and still holds a sense of benevolence and spirituality.
The statues and art found within the cave truly highlight the artistic abilities of those living in the past. It is well persevered and a walk through the caves will prove to be both insightful and a very memorable experience.
