Visit The Cultural Triangle
The earliest cave temples at Dambulla are thought to date back to the first century BC but successive kings added to them over the years to form the present complex of five separate cave temples. Today they contain around 150 images of Buddha including a colossal 52 metre long reclining Buddha in the largest cave. As well as being a historic monument, the temples are also a pilgrimage site: the experience is even more atmospheric as you mingle with devotees placing symbolic offerings in the laps of the Buddhas, the scent of incense hanging in the air. The caves at Dambulla are located within The Cultural Triangle and can be easily visited either from Sigiriya or en route from the hill country.