Dambulla (Golden Temple)
Description:
In the city of Dambulla, which is 148 km from Colombo, there is the most famous cave Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka - the Golden Temple of Damulla. This site is under the protection of UNESCO.
The temple was carved into the rock in the I century BC. Its five caves house the world’s largest collection of Buddha statues – 153 specimens. Many of them are over 2,000 years old! The temple was named “Golden” because 73 statues are covered with gold.
The true treasure of the temple is Buddhist wall paintings, with a total area of 2100 m2. The ancient frescoes on the walls and ceiling reflect the main moments of the Buddha’s life: birth, renunciation of royal life, epiphany, seven weeks after illumination, reading the first sermon, leaving for nirvana.
The temple complex is located at an altitude of 350 m above sea level on the top of the mountain. The terrain is wooded, picturesque.
The Golden Temple has been a sacred place for pilgrims for 22 centuries!