The Dambulla Cave Temple is one of Sri Lanka’s most sacred and visually extraordinary Buddhist pilgrimage sites, comprising five massive cave sanctuaries carved into a granite outcrop above the central plains. Inside the caves, more than 150 statues of the Buddha and other deities line the walls and floors, while the ceilings are entirely covered with murals depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha and key moments in Sri Lankan history – the largest painted cave complex in Asia.