Dambulla is a popular center of Buddhist pilgrimage and archeological and historical interests. It is one of the largest rock temples in Sri Lanka. They have a history dating back to prehistoric times down to the modern period.

It is believed that the caves were used as cells for the Buddhist monks to live in, but as time passed they were enlarged and transformed into shrines. Climbing the rock past the front pieces you will see five caves as one composite structure, but and closer inspection you will see that they are actually separate entities. Images and statues of the Lord Buddha adorn these caves.

On the drip ledge of one of the covers there is a Brahman inspection which chronicles the history of Dambulla. Its history can be dated back to 2nd century BC. The first reference to it in the chronicla during the reign of King Vijayabahu I in the 11th century AD. It was one of the Buddhist temples renovated by him after he defeated the South Indian invaders.

Dambulla is also a site of pre historic settlements. Evidence of prehistoric man and his habitats have been found in a series of large boulders, terraces and caves along the western slope of the rock. According to historians they were succeeded by the first settlers and farmers during the 1st millennium BC. There are a number of cemeteries surrounding the area, Ihankatuwa being one of the most important. Some of these have been excavated and protected by the cultural triangle. They have helped to gain and insight on the rural base of Sri Lanka’s early civilization.

The 12th century was the golden age of Dambulla. King Nissankamalla made renovations to this site and inscribed below the cave to the south of the front piece. It mentions his effort to unite the Buddhist order and of the renovations he carried out on temples throughout the country. The next major renovation occurs in t he 17th century during the reign of King Senerat and again in the 18th century by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, who had the caves decorated with a large series of murals.

The complex of cave temples dates back around 3rd century BC. They were located along the western and southern rock face and it eventually became one of the largest Buddhist monastic settlements in Sri Lanka. The group of rock shelters on the southern rock face continued down the centuries to become the focus of rituals and artistic activities of the Dambulla temple. This complex has been occupied continuously for more than 22 centuries up to the present day.

The most important artistic heritage of Dambulla is the paintings that adorn these cave walls. All the five caves are covered by these paintings and covers about 2000 square feet. Most of the paintings follow the Kandyan traditions of painting.