The Dambulla temple dates back more than 2,000 years, and it is traditionally believed that Valagamba, king of Anuradhapura, took refuge in the caves to escape an invasion of his kingdom by Tamil armies from southern India. Exiled there, he managed to gather strength to later reclaim his throne, and in gratitude to the monks who helped him while he was in hiding, he built a beautiful temple in the caves.

Over time, many other kings would make additions and extensions, such as gilding some of its parts and intensively restoring the space, so that by the eleventh century the caves had become the great religious center it is today. In the 18th century its beautiful frescoes were added during the Kandy reign. The temple consists of five main caves, in which there are more than 150 statues of Buddha, in addition to mural paintings that cover its walls and ceilings.

The first of the caves, called Devaraja Viharaya, also known as the Cave of the Divine King, stands out mainly for the huge statue of a 15-meter long reclining Buddha. At the foot of the huge statue is Ananda, the Buddha's favorite pupil, and at his head, Vishnu. This is the cave believed to have been converted into a temple by King Valagamba in the 1st century BC.

The second cave, Maharaja Viharaya or also the Cave of the Great Kings, is the largest and most splendid cave in the entire complex. Inside, a series of 16 standing statues and 40 seated Buddha statues fill the cave along with statues of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Saman and those of the Sri Lankan kings.

The walls and ceiling of the cave are covered with wall paintings recounting the life and achievements of Buddha as well as the history of India's tear; Sri Lanka. There is also a dagoba and a spring that drips water through a crack in the ceiling, with supposed healing powers.

Maha Alut Viharaya is the third of the caves, also known as the Great New Monastery Cave. This cave was the work of King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, one of the last kings of Kandy, in the 18th century. It is famous for its reclining Buddha statue as well as its interesting murals, accompanied by a variety of sculptures.

The fourth, Pachima Viharaya, is a small cave with a golden seated Buddha figure inside, as well as another reclining Buddha, but smaller than those found in the other caves. It is known as the Western Temple Cave.

Finally, Devana Alut Viharaya; the Cave of the Second New Temple is the most recent of all, and in its narrow interior another reclining Buddha can be contemplated.

It is noteworthy that during the 1930s the architecture of the complex was embellished with arched colonnades and gabled entrances, and continually restored, as the temple has been a continuous place of worship and pilgrimage. Today, the Dambulla Golden Temple is one of the most visited places in Sri Lanka, receiving thousands of pilgrims and tourists to see its impressive caves and Buddha statues.

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