Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, is a living Buddhist pilgrimage site with five cave shrines. Its history reaches back to the 1st century BCE; the complex contains more than 150 Buddha statues and murals covering about 2,100 square metres.
The caves combine rock-cut and sculpted images with painted ceilings and walls shaped over many centuries. Visitors can explore the shrines and take in views across the surrounding landscape. As this remains an active place of worship, be respectful of religious observances and the protected heritage site.
The official Sri Lanka Tourism listing gives the foreign-visitor entrance fee as USD 10; tickets are bought at the office near the Golden Temple. CCF lists daily opening hours as 07:00–17:00. The approach includes long granite steps and a moderately strenuous climb, so consider visiting in the morning or evening and check current conditions before setting out.
Cover photo: Kaushiru90, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized for this listing. Original: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dambulla_Temple_Cave.jpg — License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
The caves combine rock-cut and sculpted images with painted ceilings and walls shaped over many centuries. Visitors can explore the shrines and take in views across the surrounding landscape. As this remains an active place of worship, be respectful of religious observances and the protected heritage site.
The official Sri Lanka Tourism listing gives the foreign-visitor entrance fee as USD 10; tickets are bought at the office near the Golden Temple. CCF lists daily opening hours as 07:00–17:00. The approach includes long granite steps and a moderately strenuous climb, so consider visiting in the morning or evening and check current conditions before setting out.
Cover photo: Kaushiru90, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized for this listing. Original: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dambulla_Temple_Cave.jpg — License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
