Twelve miles from Sigiriya is Dambulla, a vast isolated rock mass 500 ft. high and a mile round the base. Here is found the famous rock-temple dating to the first century BC. The caves of Dambulla sheltered the kind during his 14 years of exile from Anuradhapura. When he regained the throne, he caused to be built the most magnificent of rock-temples of this island.

The view from the top of this rock is breathtaking 350 ft. above are a series of five caves turned into shrines. In the first cave is recumbent image of the Buddha 47 ft. long, cut out of the rock. There are images of deities associated with Buddhism. The frescoes on the walls and ceiling could be dated to the 15th – 18th centuries.

In the second cave, the finest and the largest of all are not less than 150 life-size statues of gods. There are numerous images of Buddha as well. The ceiling too is covered with frescoes which depict great events in the life of the Buddha, and landmarks in the history of the Sinhalese people.