SRI LANKA: Dambulla Cave Temple

 

Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple, is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.

The Cave Temple is on top of a 160meter (530 feet) high rock.

There are five caves filled with over 150 Buddha statues as well as intricate ceiling paintings depicting scenes related to the life of Buddha.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

CAMBODIA: The Khmer's Empire and Other Temples

 ANGKOR THOM AND THE BANYON TEMPLE

Angkor Thom, one of the last capital cities built in the Khmer empire, was constructed in the late 12th century as the capital during Jayavarman VII's empire. 

It was the centre of the king's massive building program to outdo his predecessors and covers an area of 9 square kilometres. The city is believed to have had a population of 80,000–150,000 people.

The city was highly developed with a system of roads and waterways, as well as four hospitals.

The city is surrounded by high defensive walls, three kilometers long on each side. 

Access to the city was through five gopura gates, one at the center of each wall, and an extra one (the Victory Gate) on the road to the Royal Palace.

THAILAND: Temples - From Old to New

Sukhothai, which means “dawn of happiness”, is about a 6-hour drive north of Bangkok. It was the first capital city of Thailand and its glory days date back to 700 years ago.

Sukhothai Historical Park is just outside the current city of Sukhothai. It is an archaeological site containing the ruins of the original Sukhothai.

One of the temples, Wat Si Chum (Temple of the Bodhi Tree), was constructed approximately 700 years ago. 

The Phra Achana is the largest Buddha image in Sukhothai with the Buddha seated and 15 metres/49 ­foot high and over 11 metres wide. 

The sitting Buddha peers through the slit. 

THAILAND: There are Just a Few Palaces and Temples in Bangkok

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is home to over 10.5 million people in the metropolitan region.

There are Buddha images or shrines of all sizes throughout the city, and, the country.

While we were in Bangkok we visited a couple of the must-see highlights; the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha), and Wat Pho (the temple with the Reclining Budha).

The temples are much more than tourist attractions. Buddhism is an inextricable part of daily life in Thailand. 

ITALY: Sicily's Valley of the Temples

The Valley of the Temples, on the island of Sicily, is an archeological site in Agrigento. 

It is a large site covering over 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares.)

It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.