Dambulla Vihara has been built on a giant rock comprising a multitude of caves. It is believed that it first began to be used during Vattagamini Abhaya’s period (1st Century BC). Various renovations have since been effected, the last one being during Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe’s time. This edifice considered as the centre of Sri Lankan Buddhist art and sculpture is replete with about 160 Buddha statues, Bodhisatva images and figurines of gods. Murals have been drawn on an area of 20,000 square feet. The murals depict a very stylish form of art developed in the Kandyan period.
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