Dambulla Cave Temple
A cave temple high on a rock above Dambulla, a World Heritage Site since 1991. Its five caves are filled with Buddha statues and their ceilings are painted edge to edge with murals, a shrine that has been in use for more than two thousand years.
- Where
- Dambulla, Central Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- UNESCO heritage
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 8 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 7.8566, 80.6483
Get the Dambulla Cave Temple stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Dambulla Cave Temple. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Central Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Dambulla Cave Temple
Sigiriya 17 km
A granite column about 180 metres high rising out of the plain near Dambulla, crowned with the ruins of a 5th century royal citadel. Climbers pass painted frescoes and the polished Mirror Wall, then a pair of giant lion's paws, before the last stairs to the summit.
Pidurangala Rock 17 km
An ancient Buddhist temple on a rock about 1 km north of Sigiriya. The path climbs past the temple and a reclining Buddha to a bare summit with the best view of Sigiriya itself, which makes it a favourite climb at sunrise.
Nalanda Gedige 21 km
A complete stone temple near Matale, built between the 8th and 10th centuries in a Dravidian style more often seen in South India. Its original site is said to be the geographical centre of Sri Lanka, and an inscription found there shows it served as a Buddhist monastery.
Avukana Buddha 23 km
A standing Buddha more than 14 metres tall near Kekirawa, one hand raised in a gesture of reassurance. It is counted among the finest standing statues made in ancient Sri Lanka.
Minneriya National Park 26 km
A park around the ancient Minneriya tank, built by King Mahasen in the 3rd century AD. In the dry season elephants from the forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee gather on its shrinking shores to feed.
Ritigala 28 km
A forested mountain in central Sri Lanka, 43 km from Anuradhapura, that hides the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery. Its rock inscriptions date back to the 1st century BCE, and stone paths and platforms lie scattered under the trees.
Parakrama Samudra 35 km
A vast, shallow reservoir beside Polonnaruwa, made of five separate tanks joined by narrow channels. It takes its name, the sea of Parakrama, from King Parakramabahu I, who built it.
Yapahuwa Rock Fortress 37 km
A medieval citadel built around a granite rock that rises almost 100 metres from the plains, midway between Kurunegala and Anuradhapura, and for a short time a royal capital. A steep ornamental stairway guarded by carved stone lions climbs towards the top.
More UNESCO World Heritage sites in Central Province
Questions
Where is Dambulla Cave Temple?
Dambulla Cave Temple is in Dambulla, Central Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Sigiriya (17 km), Pidurangala Rock (17 km), Nalanda Gedige (21 km).
How do I get the Dambulla Cave Temple stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Dambulla Cave Temple and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Central Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Dambulla Cave Temple before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Central Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
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