After spending a short time in Sri Lanka, we discovered that Sri Lankans can't seem to see a rock or cave without building a temple either on or in them. The famous cave temples of Dambulla are a wonderful example of this peculiar penchant of ancient and modern Sri Lankans. The five cave temples are 150 meters up a rock cut stairway and the interiors are masterpieces of Buddhist sculpture and painting. The caves contain approximately 150 Buddha images and paintings that date back to the 19th century. With its geometric murals depicting the life of Buddha and atmospheric low lighting, Dambulla was our favorite destination in Sri Lanka.
Below are a series of photographs from the Dambulla Cave Temples. The first two photos are the Dutch influenced entrances to the five caves. The rest of the photos are sculptures and paintings found in the cave temples.
