Dambulla cave temple temporarily closed

The archaeological advisory board of Sri Lanka has decided to temporarily close down the historic Rangiri Dalule Cave temple in Sri Lanka, declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Local and foreign tourists will be closed until the cave complex is re-informed.


A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 m2 ) are of particular importance, as are the 157 statues.