Golden rock temple dambulla

By, Sri Lankan Traveller

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Golden Rock Temple Dambulla

At the bottom of the steps up to the cave temples stands the bizarre Golden Temple, a kitschy structure completed in 2000 using Japanese donations. On top of the cube-shaped building sits a 30m high Buddha image in the dhammachakka mudra (wheel-turning pose) and a huge neon sign. The statue is extremely striking

Dambulla Museum

Some 100m south of the Golden Temple, the excellent Dambulla Museum offers a comprehensive and well-labelled chronological overview of the fascinating but little-known art of Sri Lankan painting, showing the development of the island’s rock and wall paintings from the stick figure scribbles of the Veddhas, through the frescoes of Sigiriya and on to the genre’s golden era during the Kandyan period , ending with the European-influenced work of colonial-era artists such as George Keyt.
The seven absorbing rooms consist of an expertly executed series of copies (on canvas) of paintings from cave temples, shrines and other locations around the island, gathering together under a single roof a compendium of Sri Lankan art from widely scattered and often remote and inaccessible locations; the copies manage to superbly mimic the cracked and flaking plaster effects of the older murals, and in many cases you get a much better view of the paintings here than in their original settings. With over 750 paintings in the collection, only a handful can be shown at any one time , the displays are refreshed every six months. There is also a ground-floor gallery, with an exhibition on painting techniques and a display of archaeological artifacts,

Dambulla Produce Market
Even if you’re not looking to buy a truckload of bananas, this vast wholesale market south of the centre offers a fascinating look at the vast range of produce grown in Sri Lanka. What you see being carted about with manic energy will be sold in Colombo tomorrow.

Sri Lanka Travel Deals provides a range of tour options to explore Dambulla, tailored to meet travelers’ needs. Send us a message, and we’ll respond promptly!