Dambulla cave temple. Dambulla (Sri Lanka): what to see, how to get, where to stay Colombo Dambulla train

Address: Sri Lanka
Foundation date: 1st century BC NS.
Coordinates: 7 ° 51 "26.0" N 80 ° 38 "38.6" E

The small resort town of Dambulla in Sri Lanka is famous all over the world for its unique and inimitable temples and caves, in which you can still see the ancient statues of Buddha and Vishnu.

View of the temple of Dambulla

Many travelers who have visited various parts of the world will probably agree with the opinion that it is the local atmosphere that helps to achieve harmony with their inner world, get rid of stress and enjoy the world of beauty. The Dambulla Golden Temple, with an area of ​​no less than 20 hectares, is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in South Asia. It is located almost in the middle of a small island, 12 km from the equally famous archaeological site of Asia - Sigiriya. The Dambulla Temple is built on the top of the mountain of the same name, which is just over 350 meters above sea level. The lowland is a picturesque tropical forest, where every traveler admires the beauty created by nature itself.

Rocky monastery, which some guides call nothing else than a cave monastery temple complex, for more than 22 centuries it has been a sacred place for Buddhist pilgrims from all over our vast planet. The Golden Temple of Dambulla is a sanctuary consisting of 5 large (main) and more than 70 small caves, interconnected by corridors of the same varied sizes. And, nevertheless, the Dambulla temple, first of all, is famous all over the world not for the number of caves, but for the largest collection of Buddha statues, made by ancient masters in a lying, sitting and standing position. Some of these sculptures are over 15 meters high. For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that in the Golden Temple there are also ancient statues of three kings who once ruled in Sri Lanka, statues of gods and goddesses who were worshiped by ancient people, and who are still honored by Buddhists.

Entrance to the temple

Dambulla Golden Temple: History

According to historical documents discovered by scientists at this place, the first caves of the Dambulla temple were founded in the 1st century BC. The rock cave once belonged to the king of Valagambah, who spent more than 14 years in it during his exile from Anuradhapura. After regaining the throne, the monarch erected the first cave temple and, as a sign of great gratitude and gratitude to the monks who helped the king to survive in difficult times for him, bestowed it on the Buddhist Order. By the way, this historical fact immortalized in Brahmin inscriptions located just above the entrance to Dambulla.

It was from that time that the Golden Temple of Dambulla became a sacred site for Buddhist pilgrims. Archaeologists who worked at the holy place also managed to find out that the man-made cave temple complex was repeatedly restored and renewed: restoration work was carried out practically under every new ruler of the island of Sri Lanka. So, for example, in the XII century, during the reign of King Nissankamalla, 73 Buddha statues out of 153 were covered with the purest gold and, as you might guess, since then cave complex Dambulla began to be called the "Golden Temple".

Stupa with statues of Buddhas in the Maha Raja Viharaya cave

In the 18th century, changes were also made, both in the architecture of the temple complex and in the murals. According to historians, around the beginning of the 18th century, a whole dynasty of famous artists lived on the territory adjacent to the temple, who had their hand in the temple painting of Dambulla. Probably many travelers wishing to get to know better new culture It will be interesting to know that the area of ​​frescoes and Buddhist rock paintings, which depict almost the entire life of the Buddha (birth, epiphany, seven weeks after enlightenment, renunciation of a rich life, reading a sermon), is 2,300 square meters. This is a unique gallery of its kind rock painting, which certainly has a cultural and historical meaning not only for the Buddhist religion, but for all of humanity.

Dambulla Golden Temple: 5 Caves

As mentioned above, the Golden Temple of Dambulla consists of five caves, each of them has its own name and its own distinctive features: Devarajalena, Maharajalena, Maha Alut Viharaya, Pachchima Viharaya, Devan Alut Viharaya, each of them, perhaps, is worth dwelling on a few in more detail.

Once in the first of the five caves of the Devarajalene temple, the traveler can see the reclining 14-meter statue of Buddha, at the feet of which the devoted disciple of Anand sits, and the god Vishnu himself sits at the head. By the way, there is a chapel dedicated to the god Vishnu adjacent to the entrance to this cave; rituals are still held in it with enviable regularity. In addition to these sculptures, there are 4 more Buddha statues in different parts of the cave. According to archaeologists, all of them were created in the 1st century BC during the reign of King Valagambakh. If the sculptures have survived to this day in a rather decent form, then the same cannot be said about the rock paintings and frescoes. Here they are rather poorly visible due to the thick layer of soot. According to the guides, the soot on the walls and ceiling was formed as a result of constant burning of lamps and fumigation of the cave with incense.

The second cave that the wandering traveler finds himself in after visiting Devarajalena is called Maharajalena. The traveler in it is "greeted" by a wooden statue of King Valagambakh, whose hand is raised in a moralizing gesture. This is the most impressive cave in the entire man-made temple complex of Dambulla.

Reclining buddha

She, like Devarajalena, dates back to the 1st century BC. It is surprising that here, in the immediate vicinity of the Buddha sculpture, there are statues of Maitreya and Nata, Upulvana and Samana, which, in fact, makes this temple the only place in the entire territory of the island of Sri Lanka in which the gods stand next to each other. In total, there are more than 10 standing Buddha statues in the Maharajalena cave and about 40 more in meditation. They are made not only of granite, but also of wood, and even of bricks. In Maharajalena, a spring is considered a miracle, the water from which flows along the walls, among the carved patterns, not down, but up. Caught in the most high point, it falls down, where the golden bowl is located, around which the statues of Buddha sit in a state of deep meditation.

Pacchima Vaharaya is a relatively small cave of the Golden Temple of Dambulla. In its center there is a stupa, in which, according to legend, the treasures of the wife of the founder of the temple were kept. Surprisingly, according to the stories of the guides, quite recently it was plundered by treasure seekers, and now nothing is known about the whereabouts of the sacred objects.

Maha Alut Viharaya is a relatively "young" cave. The date of its construction is considered to be the 18th century, the time when the last of the rulers of Kandy ruled. The cave, like the others, is filled with a large number of Buddha statues (sleeping, meditating, standing). The ceiling amazes with its variety of images of the deity. In official documents, you can find information that the ceiling of the Maha Alut Viharaya cave is decorated with more than 1,000 paintings of the meditating Buddha.

Devan Alut Viharaya is an even "younger" cave, which until recently (early 20th century) served as a warehouse. The exact date of its restructuring is unknown. However, some wall records indicate that restoration work was carried out in this cave in 1915. In addition to 11 Buddha statues, there are sculptures of the god Vishnu in various poses.

Dambulla Golden Temple: Present Day

Dambulla Golden Temple is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. The UNESCO organization included the cave-temple complex in the World Heritage List, therefore, like many other monuments of history and architecture important for mankind, it is under constant protection. “This is a truly amazing place, once in which, all worldly thoughts remain“ beyond the threshold ”. The midday heat is quickly replaced by cave coolness, which simply disposes to contemplation of numerous paintings and frescoes, statues of Buddha and gods, "- one of the travelers who visited the golden temple of Dambulla in Sri Lanka shares his impressions. It would also not be superfluous to add that to visit the temple, each tourist needs to purchase entrance tickets, the cost of which is relatively low: $ 10 for children and 15 for adults.

The small town of Dambulla has become a place of pilgrimage not only for Sri Lankans who come to ask for support from heaven, fulfillment of desires, signs from above, but also tourists who rush here to admire the temple complex with more than 22 centuries of history. You should have seen with what aspiration they pronounce locals: “Dambulle”! Immediately you feel the importance and sacredness of this “prayed” place.

I have been here several times - both with a guide and on my own - and each time I discovered something new for myself in this unity of nature, art and the divine principle. Even those who are not very familiar with the philosophy of Buddhism and are close, here can learn a lot of interesting and informative things.

The temple complex includes the Golden Temple, five main cave temples, and over 70 caves. All the key rulers of the island contributed to the design of the cave temples in different periods of the history of Ceylon. Here you can get acquainted with the art of sculpture and painting by masters of Sri Lanka from different times. It is no exaggeration to say that this is a centuries-old slice of the religion, culture and art of Ceylon.

To visit the temples of Dambulla became a more interesting event than just a walk through the grottoes among the statues, you definitely need to prepare a little in order to understand where we are going, what we are looking at, what is the main idea here. This will enhance the impression of what you saw, deeply imbued with the spirit and atmosphere of the place. The right attitude and a little knowledge will help you succeed in this mission. More than once I caught myself feeling that everything in this functioning monastery contributes to achieving harmony with the inner world, getting rid of stress, and in addition, allows you to simply enjoy the beauty.

This object world heritage UNESCO occupies over 20 hectares on top of a mountain about 350 meters above sea level. Climbing from the entrance to the complex up to the cave temples, you can endlessly admire the opening picturesque pictures of the rainforest. The ascent itself will take no more than 10 minutes.

History

The first to populate this area were tribes that lived in Sri Lanka even before the advent of Buddhism. This is evidenced by burials found in some caves, which are more than 2,700 years old.

In ancient times, the capital of the island was located in the city of Anuradhapura. The king of Valagambakh, expelled by the enemy from his capital, found shelter and protection of local monks in one of the caves. After 14 years of exile, returning to the throne, as a gratitude, the king ordered the creation of a temple in this cave. So in the 1st century BC, the creation of the temple complex in Dambulla began. Pay attention to the inscription above the entrance to the temple: it describes this historical fact in the language of the Brahmins. Since then, the temples of Dambulla have become a place of worship for all Buddhists.

The temple complex in Dambulla was rebuilt many times, because each ruler wanted to contribute to the development of this sacred place for Buddhists. Here are the most significant changes:

• In the XII century, under the leadership of King Nissankamalla, 73 Buddha statues were covered with gold in the temples, after which the temple was called the Golden Cave Temple.
• In the 18th century, significant changes were made to the very architecture of the temple complex, as well as to the murals. A whole galaxy of famous artists of Sri Lanka was engaged in this. To this day, their descendants are engaged in the maintenance and restoration of murals in churches based on secret family recipes for dyes.
• In the 20th century, the cave temples located inside the rock were covered from the wind by an arched colonnade and pediments.

Opening hours

Ticket offices and the Buddhist Treasury Museum are open from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. To buy a ticket, you need to go to the right of the building with a huge statue of the golden Buddha, which is located directly on the road. There is a break during the checkout hours - from 12:30 to 13:00.

What is the price

The cost of visiting the Dambulla temple complex for tourists is $ 10 (Rs 1,500). Prices may change depending on the dollar exchange rate.

Since the temples of Dambulla are active, you need to take off your shoes before entering. Directly upstairs, in front of the cave temples and ticket control, there is a shoe storage point. The cost of the service is 0.17 dollars (25 rupees), but you can leave your shoes near the temple for free, but no one is responsible for their safety. Nobody needs ordinary slates, but if you have expensive shoes, it is better to give them to the storage room.

What to see

Despite the fact that the temple is called Golden, here you will not find luxury like that in. A distinctive feature of the Dambulla temple complex is a huge collection of Buddha statues in various positions, dating back more than 2,000 years, as well as paintings telling about his birth, epiphany, renunciation, sermons and other stages of his life. Of all the ancient religious buildings in Sri Lanka, the Golden Temple of Dambulla is the best preserved.

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The Dambulla temple complex consists of several sites. The first of them - the Golden Temple - meets pilgrims and travelers under the mountain, not far from the road, parking and bus stop. But! This is a modern building, which is indirectly related to the purpose of our trip. The Museum of Buddhism and administrative premises are located here. When buying a ticket to the Dambulla Temple Complex, you can also view the museum's exposition. Basically, these are gifts that were presented to the temple at different times, information about the main leaders of the monastery, their photographs, as well as, of course, Buddha statues and paintings from his life.

And yet - right here, on the right, are the cash desks. If you immediately go up to the cave temples, then you will have to go back down for a ticket.

Further up the steps we head to the cave temples of Dambulla - these are the five main caves that are open to the public. There are many other caves and grottoes here, but they have no particular cultural significance, since they have not preserved any paintings, statues, or other values. Having passed the control, we go out to the site, where a snow-white colonnade opens in front of us, located under sheer cliff... It is behind it that the aforementioned five cave temples are located:

• Devarajalena
• Maharajalena
• Maha Alut Viharaya
• Pacchima Viharaya
• Devan Alut Viharaya

First of all, everyone who enters the first of the temple caves - Devaraja Vihara - sees a huge statue of the reclining Buddha, which takes up almost the entire place in the temple. Pilgrims and tourists have to crowd here to see all the details of the situation.

Believers come here to pray, ministers bring food as an offering to Buddha, candles, lamps and incense are constantly lit here. Because of these rituals, the walls of the cave are very smoky, and the painting is barely distinguishable. However, if you wish, you can see on the left side of the Buddha several episodes of his life. It can be noted that, in addition to the statue of Buddha, there are figures of his disciple Ananda, as well as a small statue of the god Vishnu at the head of the Buddha. Several more modest Buddha statues are located at the corners of the cave. Despite 22 centuries of history cave temple, namely, this cave was created by the first king Valagambaha, all the statues have been preserved in good condition. It is an amazing feeling when you touch something so ancient!

From the crush of the oldest cave, we move into the no less ancient, but the most spacious - Maharaja Vihara. This is the royal cave of Dambulla. At the entrance we are greeted by a wooden statue of King Valagambakhi, already known to us. In total, there are about 40 statues of Buddha in meditation and 10 standing statues in the cave. Only in this temple of Dambulla can you see a miracle of nature - the water that accumulates and runs along the walls among the patterns does not obey the law of gravity: amazingly, it runs up, where it drips into a golden bowl, around which statues of Buddha are located in deep meditation! The cave is of great interest to scientists studying the history of religion. This is the only temple on the island where the statues of Buddha and older deities, which were worshiped by people in the era before the birth of Buddhism, are located together.

In the small cave of the Golden Temple of Dambulla, Paccima Viharaya, there is a stupa that was previously used as a safe to store the jewelry of the abbot's wife. Recently, however, the stupa was looted. This is the most modest cave in comparison with the others.

The cave, designed by the masters of the 18th century during the reign of the last king of Kandy, Maha Alut Viharaya, amazes with a huge number of Buddha images - about a thousand. They all look at you from a height, seem to be both similar and dissimilar at the same time. There are also a large number of Buddha statues in the cave - 42 standing and 13 sitting in the lotus position. In the center on the bed is a sleeping Buddha measuring about 9 meters. All this multitude of Buddhas creates a feeling of surrealism, some kind of parallel reality, a whirlpool of thoughts and views.

The last cave of our route - Devana Alut Viharaya - is the youngest. Previously, a warehouse was located here, but in 1915 the craftsmen restored the cave, returning it to the sacred meaning. This is the brightest and most colorful cave, because only 100 years have passed since its design. There are 11 statues of Buddha, as well as statues of the deities of Vishnu, Kataragama, Devata Bandara. Having learned the names of the deities here, I discovered the riddle of the names of a number of cities in Sri Lanka, for example, Kataragama and Bandarawela.

What can be seen nearby

• Dambulla Museum. In addition to cult items from the cave temples of Dambulla, there are copies of rock art samples from all over Sri Lanka, which have historical and cultural value both for Buddhists and for all mankind. The museum is located 100 meters along the highway to the south. Opening hours: from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm. The cost of the visit is 1.7 dollars (250 rupees).

• The ancient stupa of Somawathi (Dambulla Somawathi Stupa). A completely free attraction, which is located at the foot of the hill on which the Temples of Dambulla are located. Usually tourists do not come here, so peace and quiet reign here. To get to the stupa, you need to go down from the western slope of the hill (the location is marked on the map).
• Dambulla Fruit Market. Don't miss the opportunity to drop by the local wholesale fruit market. Here, in huge quantities, they transport, pack, pack, transfer mangoes, maraki, pineapples, bananas, jackfruits, papaya and many other wonders of nature. It is unlikely that you will be able to buy something here, since the sale is carried out in bulk, but it is interesting to look at the process and scale of trade.
• Confectionery. The city of Dambulla is famous for its confectionery, which is widely available in local cafeterias and pastry shops. In the district and not only there are factories that produce many delicacies from honey, cane sugar, spices and nuts - different and not very similar to what we usually eat. But the biscuits are even more amazing here - very natural, they reminded me of the taste of childhood. Tourists often visit Bentota Bake House, clean place with dishes at reasonable prices.

How to get there

Dambulla is located at the intersection of the main highways of the island, so its temple complex can be a good stop on any travel itinerary in Sri Lanka.

From Colombo

• Personal car. To get to the Dambulla Cave Temples from Colombo, you need to follow the A1 Colombo - Kandy (Colombo - Kandy) to the city of Warakapola, after which go to the A6 Ambepussa - Trincomalle, which will lead directly to the city ... To get to the temple, you need to turn on the A9 Kandy-Jaffna highway in the city, and after 2 km (4-5 minutes) the Golden Temple will appear on the right side. In total, the journey of 160 km takes about 4 hours.
• Bus. From Colombo Central Bus Station, buses to Dambulla head for Trincomalee, Jaffna and Anuradhapura. Choose bus numbers starting with 15 . Please check if the bus goes through Dambulla before boarding. Travel time is 5 hours. You can also take a bus to Kandy, and from there get there by the indicated ways.

From Kandy

• Personal car. 75 kilometers north on the A9 Kandy-Jaffna highway will take you directly to the temples of Dambulla. They will be located on the left side of the road. Travel time is about two hours.
• Bus. This is the cheapest way to get to Dambulla Temple Complex. The fare is $ 0.5 (70 rupees). Take any bus in the direction of Dambulla, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Habarana.
• Knock Knock. You can also go to Dambula from Kandy by tuk-tuk, but it is expensive. About two hours of travel with a breeze will cost from 20 dollars (3,000 rupees) and more.

From Galle, Matara, Hikkaduwa, Weligama

Getting from the southwestern and southern resort towns of Sri Lanka to Dambulla is much more difficult, but also possible. On such trips, it is better to plan visits to several attractions. And there really is something to see in Sri Lanka. The fastest way to get to the central provinces of the island, in our case to Dambulla, is to travel through Colombo. Since the road network in the eastern part of the island is not very developed, and in addition, the path goes through the mountains, it takes much longer to get through the east. And there is more transport in the western part of Sri Lanka.

• Personal car. Along the E01 highway, which turns into E02, you need to move in the direction of Colombo, where you go to the A1 highway, and then to the A6 and A9 (for more details, see the section "How to get ... from Colombo"). Trails E01 and E02 - toll: about $ 4 (600 rupees). Approximate travel time to Colombo is 1 hour.
• Bus. Also the best way- Take the express bus to Maharagama, a suburb of Colombo. The cost is $ 3.5 (500 rupees). Travel time is 90 minutes. Then take bus number 138 to Colombo Central Bus Station - 20-30 minutes. Cost - 0.25 dollars (30 rupees). Then take the bus according to the paragraph "How to get ... from Colombo".

From Trincomalee

• Personal car. You can get to Dambulla along the A6 highway Ambepussa - Trincomalee, and in the city itself turn left along the A9 highway Kandy - Jaffna and after 2 kilometers (4-5 minutes) on the right side you will see the Golden Temple Dambulla. The way to the temple complex takes a little less than two hours (distance - 100 km).
• Bus. Any bus towards Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala will take you to bus stop Dambulla. Do not forget to warn the conductor or driver that you need the Dambulla Golden Temple stop. Focus on time - just over two hours.

There is no railway connection with Dambulla. By train you can get to Habarana or Kandy, and then by tuk-tuk or bus you can come to Dambulla. Travel is relatively cheap, but time is wasted. In addition, you will need to pay for a tuk-tuk or bus from the train station to the temple.

Note to the tourist

• In rainy weather, the steps leading up the mountain to the cave temples can be slippery: be careful! Although the climb is generally comfortable.
• Try not to be photographed with your back to the Buddha. In existing temples in Sri Lanka, this will be considered a great disrespect. Better to shoot half-turned.
• Be careful with local monkeys, they are very unceremonious - they snatch everything from their hands, first of all food.

• Please note that adventurous Sri Lankans may ask for $ 0.35 (Rs. 50) for parking outside the Dambulla Temples. Don't pay, just leave.
• A trip to the Golden Temple of Dambulla can be successfully combined with a visit.

The city of Dambulla is famous for the 2000-year-old Golden Cave Temple, for which most tourists come to Dambulla. In this article, you will find out what is worth seeing in Dambulla and how you can get to Dambulla from other cities in Sri Lanka. For those who would like to stay in Dambulla - 5 best hotels, from luxurious 5 * to budget option.

In this article, you will learn:

1 | What is worth coming to Dambulla for

• visit the largest cave temple in South Asia with 2000 years of history - Dambulla Golden Cave Temple,
• get acquainted with samples of Sri Lankan visual arts from ancient times to the present day,
• walk through the largest wholesale market in Sri Lanka,
• explore nearby attractions: the famous fortress on the Sigiriya rock and the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka - Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura,
• visit national park Minneriya to see elephants and other wild animals of Sri Lanka in their natural habitat.

In addition, the city of Dambulla is very well located - in the center of the cultural triangle and from it it is convenient to get to other historical sights of Sri Lanka: Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy.

2 | What to see in Dambulla

Most tourists are limited to the first item on the list, but if you wish, you can visit all interesting places Dambulla:

1. Dambulla Cave Temples- one of the main attractions and Buddhist shrines of Sri Lanka:
   • worth a visit for the 2,000-year-old ancient Buddha statues and wall paintings;
   • working hours: from 7:00 to 18:00;
   • price: 1500 rupees (~ 10 $),
   • more details - Dambulla Golden Cave Temple (Sri Lanka): a detailed guide to the temple with a photo.
2. Museum of Buddhism (Golden temple Buddhist Museum) at the base of the 30-meter "golden" Buddha statue
   • it is worth visiting to see samples of Buddhist art from Sri Lanka and other Asian countries, get acquainted with the life of Buddha from colorful paintings, study a copy of a golden stupa with a sacred tooth of Buddha (the original is kept in Kandy and only rare lucky ones have a chance to see it);
   • working hours: from 07:30 to 18:00;
   • price: a visit to the museum is included in the ticket price for the Dambulla Cave Temple.
   • GPS coordinates of the museum: 7.855484, 80.651462.
3. Temple of the goddess Pattini (Sath Paththini Devalaya) with a golden dagoba in front of the temple:
   • it is worth looking into this small temple to see what the patroness of Sri Lanka, the goddess Pattini, looks like, walk around the dagoba clockwise to improve karma.
   • working hours: from 07:30 to 18:00, Dagoba - around the clock;
   • price: free.
   • GPS coordinates of the temple: 7.855643, 80.652207.
4. Dambulla Museum
   • worth a visit for examples of Sri Lankan fine art from ancient times to the present day;
   • working hours: from 07:30 to 16:30;
   • price: 250 rupees (~ 1.6 $).
   • GPS coordinates of the museum: 7.853966, 80.652496.
5. Wholesale Farmers Market (Dambulla Produce Market):
   • even if you are not going to buy a van of bananas, a walk through the market will give you an idea of ​​the wide range of vegetables and fruits that are grown in Sri Lanka;
   • working hours: from 9 pm to 3 am;
   • price: free
   • Market GPS coordinates: 7.865997, 80.651546

A couple of photos from the Golden temple Buddhist Museum:

3 | How to get to Dambulla

Dambulla can be easily reached by bus or car, as two major road arteries of Sri Lanka pass through the city: Kandy - Anuradhapura and Colombo - Trincomalee. Nearest railroad station is located 23 km north of Dambulla - in Habaran.

How to get to Dambulla from Colombo airport (~ 131 km)

• comfortable 35-minute flight to Sigiriya from Colombo Airport Bandaranaike will cost ~ 264 $, and from Sigiriya to Dambulla less than 20 km and can be easily covered by taxi (you can find tickets from Colombo to Sigiriya on the Aviasales website);
• transfer by car (taxi)- this is about 3 hours on the way and ~ $ 80 for a car (you can find and book a transfer from Colombo airport on the website or);
• rented car- it is easy and quick to book a car in Sri Lanka, so you can get it right at the airport on the website.
• to take a bus or train, you first need to get from the airport to the city of Colombo.

How to get to Dambulla from Colombo city (~ 160 km)

• by bus with air conditioning ~ $ 6, about 4 hours on the way;
• by train No. 6011 at 06:05 central station Colombo to Batticaloa: ~ 4 $ and about 5 hours on the way (you need to get off at the Habarana stop, from where 23 km to Dambulla can be overcome by tuk-tuk for ~ 10 $);
• by taxi which can be ordered online or found locally.

How to get to Dambulla from Kandy (~ 72 km)

• on any of buses which are sent from bus station to Kandy and follow in the direction of Anuradhapura (and Dambulla):
  • ticket price from 0.5 $,
  • the road will take at least 3 hours.
• Taxi can be taken locally or ordered on the website.
  • cost from $ 50 (the price depends on your bargaining skills, technical condition and size of the car),
  • the road will take about 2 hours (on the way, I recommend stopping at the spice garden on the outskirts of Kandy and near the most beautiful Hindu temple in Sri Lanka - Sri Muthumariamman Kovil Temple in Matala).

How to get to Dambulla from Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Sigiriya

• On scheduled buses(ticket price from $ 0.3). Just keep in mind that most buses run only during daylight hours. Check the bus schedule on the spot (at the bus station or at your hotel).
• From Dambulla to Sigiriya (less than 20 km), there is an easy tuk-tuk ride.
• For longer distances, to Polonnaruwa (70 km) and Anuradhapura (63 km), it is worth taking a taxi.

Planning to visit Sigiriya? Information that may be useful to you -.

4 | Dambulla on the map of Sri Lanka

5 | Top hotels in Dambulla:

To save you time searching for a hotel, the 5 best hotels in Dambulla have been selected for this article, from the chicest and most impressive ($$$$) to the budget yet cozy ($).

Heritance Kandalama 5 *, $$$$

• it is not only the best hotel in Dambulla, it is one of the best hotels in Sri Lanka,
• located on the shores of a picturesque lake surrounded by lush tropical vegetation,
• each room offers a gorgeous view of the surroundings,
• the hotel has three incredibly beautiful swimming pools,
• for breakfast and dinner, the hotel guests will find a wide selection of delicious dishes.

Hotel room Heritance Kandalama 5 * can be booked on booking.com or agoda.com.

Jetwing Lake 5 *, $$$

• beautiful area with a large swimming pool,
• a quiet pacifying place for a relaxing holiday,
• nice rooms with huge balconies and gorgeous views of the surroundings,
• delicious breakfasts, the availability of food and drink delivery service to the rooms,

Hotel room Jetwing Lake 5 * can be booked on booking.com or agoda.com.

Rangiri Dambulla Resort 4 *, $$

• an unusual format of rooms in the form of stylized tents with air conditioning and beautiful furniture,
• a beautiful pool for relaxation after sightseeing tours,
• quiet and cozy place, away from noisy roads.

Hotel room Rangiri Dambulla Resort 4 * can be booked on

The Dambulla cave temple was presented as a gift, as a token of gratitude, to the Order of Buddhist monks who sheltered King Valagambah during the 14-year occupation of the capital of Anuradhapura (89 - 103 BC). This is evidenced by the Brahmin inscriptions above the entrance to the caves. The temple, built in 150 m. Cliff, consists of 5 caves. It houses the largest collection of Buddha statues, many of which are over 2000 years old. Remnants of plaster with traces of paint outside the caves indicate that the temple was a continuous gallery of paintings. The temple dates back to the 1st century. BC, but was completed and restored in the XII and XVIII centuries.
Devarajalena. In a small cave 14 m. A sculpture of a reclining Buddha with a devoted disciple Ananda at his feet recreates the moment of Buddha's entry into Nirvana. There is also another Buddha statue at the feet, and 3 statues of Buddha in meditation and the god Vishnu are located near the head of the reclining Buddha. It is generally accepted that all seven sculptures, which occupy almost the entire space of the cave, belong to the 1st century. BC. and are the creation of King Valagambahu. However, art historians date them to a later period. The name of the cave is due to the presence of the god Vishnu, under whose patronage the Dambulla temple was built. Probably, the names of the caves appeared much later, since it was not until 1726 that the chronicles first report them. The paintings on the walls and ceiling are almost impossible to distinguish due to the layer of soot from the incense and oil lamps of the faithful. The chapel of the god Vishnu, where regular services are performed, adjoins the cave from the outside.
Maharajalena. The second cave, the largest and most impressive, dates back to the 1st century. BC. At the entrance to the temple on the left, there is a wooden statue of King Valagambahu, who built the temple, whose right hand is raised in a gesture of teaching. Opposite the cave entrance, under an arch in the form of a mythical dragon, is the central life-size sculpture of Buddha. With his left hand, the Buddha supports the free end of the robe, the gesture of the right hand is a gesture of protection. The statue bears great resemblance to the collosal sculptures of the Anuradhapura period, but the facial expression is not so peaceful, which may have been the result of restoration work. Traces of gilding are visible under a fresh layer of paint. To the left of the standing Buddha is the god Maitreya, the patron saint of Kandy, with a lotus in his hand, and to the right is the god Nata (the future Buddha), on whose faces an expression of calmness is frozen. They are followed by the gods Upulvan (aka Vishnu of blue color) and Saman (gold color), the keeper of the Buddha's footprint at the top of Adam's Peak. The sizes of the statues are the same, only the facial expressions and colors are different. Dambulla Temple is the only place in Sri Lanka where the statues of Buddha, Maitreya and Nata stand side by side. The other two statues of the gods Upulwana and Samana are also unique as they are in close proximity to the Buddha. On the right in the corner is the statue of King Kirti Sri Nissankamalla, in many ways similar to the statue of King Valagambahu.
The stupa in the cave is surrounded by 11 sculptures of Buddha in meditation. Above the heads of two of them is the serpent king Muchalinda, who provided shelter to the Buddha in the sixth week after his epiphany. Statues of Buddha and gods are located along the walls and create an atmosphere of calm and serenity. 16 standing statues of Buddha and 40 in meditation are made of brick, wood and granite and covered with a layer of plaster and paint. Among the numerous images of Buddha, the gaze of visitors cannot but stop at the frescoes that adorn the walls and ceiling. On the left side, on the ceiling, the main moments of the Buddha's life are displayed: his birth, renunciation of the royal life, epiphany, seven weeks after enlightenment, reading the first sermon, going into the bliss of Nirvana ...
On the right hand behind the Buddha statues in the corner closer to the ceiling are reproduced some important events from the history of Buddhism and the history of the country: King Devanampiyatissa meets Saint Mahinda, who brought the teachings of Buddha and relics to Sri Lanka; Mahinda's first sermon; construction of the first Buddhist monastery in Mihintala; planting a seedling of a tree of knowledge in Anuradhapura; King Devanampiyatissa with a plow marks the border of Anuradhapura, giving the city the status of a Buddhist center ... The history of the country is reflected in the main moments: the landing of Vijay (the founder of the Sinhalese nation) on the island, the battle of the kings Dutugemunu and Eral on elephants ... The fact that in many places there are drawings applied to the existing ones, indicates that the temple was painted over a long period of time, until the 18th century.
Maha Alut Viharaya. The temple was built relatively recently in the 18th century by King Kirti Shri Raja Singhe, the last ruler of Kandy, whose statue is also located here. The cave is 27 x 10 m in size and has two arched entrances decorated with the dragon Makara Torana. 56 statues, including a sleeping 9 meter high Buddha, 13 Buddhas in the lotus position and 42 standing, surround the sculpture of Buddha in meditation in the center of the hall. The ceiling is decorated with images of 1000 Buddhas in meditation.
Pacchima Viharaya. Built in the 1st century. BC. king of Valagambach. Small 16 x 8 x 8 m, but interesting cave, in the center of which is a small stupa, recently robbed by treasure seekers. It is believed that the jewels of the king's wife, Valagambakh, were immured in the stupa.
Devan Alut Viharaya. Relatively new cave used as a warehouse before being converted into a temple. When and by whom it was built is unknown. There are 11 Buddha statues in the cave, 5 statues each near the head and feet of the sleeping Buddha, as well as statues of the gods Vishnu, Kataragama and the local god Devata Bandara. According to the inscriptions on the wall, the temple was renovated in 1915.

Dambulla Golden Cave Temple is one of the main attractions and Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. Inside the five caves, you will find 153 Buddha statues (many of them are over 2000 years old), 3 statues of the kings of Sri Lanka, 4 statues of gods and goddesses, wall paintings with a total area of ​​more than 2 thousand m 2. This article will help you enjoy your visit to the Dambulla Temple by finding the most interesting statues and the elements of the temple, to understand who or what is depicted in front of you.

In this article, you will learn:

1 | Why visit Dambulla Golden Cave Temple

• understand the meanings of various postures and gestures of the Buddha,
• get acquainted with the ancient Sri Lankan rock art,
• find out what the ancient kings of Sri Lanka looked like,
• study the history of Buddha and Sri Lanka through rock paintings,
• enjoy beautiful views of the valley surrounding the temple (in clear weather you can see Sigiriya, which is 17 km from Dambulla).

If you are just planning a trip to Sri Lanka, I recommend that you read the online visa instructions and fill out the Sri Lanka arrival card.

2 | History of Dambulla Cave Temple

In the distant 1st century BC, the ancient king of Sri Lanka, Valagamba, was dethroned and expelled from Anuradhapura by invaders from South India. He took refuge in Dambulla and, after 14 years later, after winning his throne, the king thanked the monks who gave him shelter. The king invested money in the construction of a cave temple, transforming the humble monastery into an impressive Buddhist shrine and pilgrimage site for many thousands of Buddhists.

In subsequent years, other kings of Sri Lanka helped in the development of the cave temple, renovated and decorated it. In the XII century, 73 statues of Buddha were covered with gold - since then the temple began to be called the Golden Cave Temple. The memory of the most generous kings was immortalized in the form of statues, wall paintings and even a stone book.

3 | Important points to remember about Dambulla Temple

Temple opening hours: from 7:00 to 18:00.

GPS coordinates of the temple(to find the temple on the map, copy the coordinates from the search bar in Google maps): 7.856712, 80.648132.

Other places of interest and the best hotels in Dambulla -.

Price entrance tickets: 1,500 rupees (~ $ 10). Tickets need to be bought below, at the box office near the giant golden Buddha statue (GPS coordinates 7.855653, 80.651555).

Dambulla Golden Cave Temple is not a museum or tourist attraction, it is a working temple and place of pilgrimage for many Buddhists... Therefore, don't expect to see plaques and signatures under statues and images, the cleanliness and silence of the museum, buffets or kiosks with drinks and sandwiches.

4 | How to dress and what to take to the temple

You need to dress in accordance with the rules of a functioning Buddhist temple:

• clothing should cover the shoulders and knees, and not be transparent;
• hats should be removed (this applies to both men and women, and even children);
• you can only walk barefoot around the temple (I highly recommend taking socks with you so that you do not have to move along the hot stone with small dashes).

Shoes can be left in a special kiosk in front of the entrance to the territory of the temple (paid service - 25 rupees for one pair of shoes).

The cave temple is located on a mountain and on the way to the temple you will have to overcome many steps. Therefore, it is worth taking a bottle with you. drinking water... At the bottom of the stairs there are usually traders who sell water, but don't expect to see them there early in the morning. Beware of monkeys who like to steal food from tourists and obsessive traders trying to sell various trinkets.

5 | What is the Dambulla cave temple:

Dambulla Cave Temple is a complex of 5 caves carved into the rock. The three caves are ancient and were carved into the rock in the 1st century BC. NS. (they are more than 2000 years old), two more - not older than the 18th century.

In front of the caves there is a courtyard with a sacred bothi tree (under the same tree Buddha attained enlightenment). In the right corner, almost immediately near the entrance to the temple, there is a large stone book, where the deeds of King Nissak Malla, one of the benefactors of the temple in the 12th century AD, are recorded in the ancient Sinhalese language. (it was thanks to him that the temple began to be called "Golden").

In order to enjoy visiting the Golden Cave Temple of Dambulla, it is worth realizing that in front of you historical and cultural landmark, not just caves with lots of Buddha statues. The paintings on the walls of the caves show the history of Sri Lanka and the life of Buddha (of course, if you know where to look). For those who want to get positive emotions when visiting attractions and interesting information, I can offer 4 options:

1. book a tour with a Russian-speaking guide who will tell and show you everything, explain everything and answer questions (for example, it includes travel on a comfortable minibus, services Russian speaking guide for a group of up to 8 people),
2. take an English speaking guide that can be found at the entrance to the cave temple (of course, if your level of English allows the guide to be understood),
3. read this article to the end and save (or write down) what exactly you should pay attention to when visiting the caves,
4. replace your visit to the Dambulla temple with a trip to Sigiriya.

Next, I will describe each cave, moving from right to left (from the entrance, into the interior of the temple). I will deliberately not show all the statues and drawings in the photo, but I will give clear instructions so that you can find them - let's add a little research note to your visit to the Dambulla cave temple.

Cave 1: Maiden Raja Viharaya - Temple of the King of Gods

A tiny cave with 14 meter high articles of the reclining Buddha, which is hewn out of the rock, depicts the entrance to the Nirvana (death) of the Buddha. At the feet of the Buddha is one of the most faithful disciples named Ananda. The walls of the cave are covered with paintings and a layer of soot from incense and oil lamps.

Near the entrance to the first cave, there is a small chapel dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. If you are lucky, you will see pilgrims with offerings, priests performing traditional rituals, and the ritual of breaking a coconut (if the coconut is broken, the plan will come true).

Cave 2: Maha Raja Viharaya - Temple of the Great King

It is the largest cave in the Golden Temple of Dambulla. The dimensions of the cave are 52 meters wide, 23 meters deep and 7 meters high (at the highest point). On the right side of the cave there is a bowl into which sacred water is constantly dripping from the ceiling. Even in severe drought, the water source does not dry out. The collected water is used for Buddhist rituals.

The cave contains 16 standing Buddha statues and 40 Buddhas in a meditation posture (sitting with both hands folded in front of you). Find the following statues:

• Wooden statue of King Valagamba, the very one from which the centuries-old history of the Dambulla cave temple began. His right hand is raised in a gesture of teaching and he stands near the exit from the cave. Note how the kings of Sri Lanka dressed in the 1st century BC.
• The most impressive statue in this cave is stone carved standing Buddha statue under the arch with the ancient mythical animals Makara (Indian dragon analogy). The Buddha holds a robe with his left hand, and his right hand is depicted in a gesture of protection. If you look closely, you can see the remains of gilding under a layer of paint. The statue is on the left side of the cave, opposite the exit.
• To the left of the standing Buddha statue from the previous point is god Maitreya with a lotus in his left hand is the patron saint of Kandy, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka.
• To the right of the Buddha stands statue of bothisattva nata- one of the patrons of Sri Lanka,
• Behind the bothisattva Nat there are two more notable statues:
  • blue - god Vishnu(in Sri Lanka he is most often called Upulvan),
  • gold - god saman(the keeper of the Buddha's imprint at the top of Adam's Peak).
• On the left side of the cave is a stupa with 11 statues of a seated Buddha in a meditation posture. Find a statue with a snake - this is serpent king muchalinda, who covered the Buddha from the rain when he reached nirvana while meditating near the Botha tree.

Cave 3: Maha Alut Viharaya - The Great New Temple

This temple is one of the youngest - it was created in the XVIII century A.D. one of the last kings of Kandy (Kirti Shri Raja Singhe). There are 56 Buddha statues here. On the ceiling of the cave, more than a thousand Buddhas are depicted in a meditation posture (frescoes are painted in the Kandy style). Pay attention to 3 statues:

• King Kirti Shri Raja Singh (whom you will recognize by the crown on his head) and his royal attire of the 18th century,
• 9-meter statue of the reclining Buddha - the sculptor managed to miraculously convey in granite an expression of bliss and serenity,
• seated Buddha in a meditation position in the center of the cave is surrounded by an arch with mythical animals - sea dragons.

Cave 4: Passima (or Paschima) Viharaya - Oriental Temple

The temple in this cave was created in the first century BC. A small stupa in the center of the cave was partially destroyed by treasure seekers who hoped to find inside it the jewels of the queen and wife of King Valagamba, the founder of the Dambulla temple.

Pay attention to the statue of the seated Buddha surrounded by sea dragons - it is considered one of the most beautiful statues in the complex (considering that it is more than 2000 years old):

Cave 5: Devan Alut Viharaya - Newest Temple

This is the newest of all the temples and was rebuilt from a warehouse in the 18th century AD. On the walls there are paintings from the times of the Kandy kingdom and traces of unprofessional restoration in the 1920s (it seems that the restorers were children). In the temple you will find 11 Buddha statues. Unlike other caves where the statues are made of stone or wood, the fifth cave uses brick and plaster. Pay attention to the wall painting at the feet of the recumbent 10-meter Buddha, which depicts King Kandy (with a crown and sword), the god Vishnu (with dark skin) and the god Kataragama (many-faced and many-armed).

That's all, we are done with the caves. It's time to go down from the temple mountain. But don't be in a hurry. Immediately after leaving the territory of the temple, behind the stall for storing shoes, there is a platform from which opens beautiful view to the surroundings.

6 | What else can you see near Dambulla

• the famous rock fortress Sigiriya,
• the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, the city of Kandy,
• Mineriya National Park,
• historical landmark - ancient city Polonnaruwa.