In the first cave is an image of a recumbent Buddha that is 15m long and cut out of the rock. Deities associated with Buddhism surround it. Some of the wall paintings that have been discovered seem to date from earlier times. However, the frescoes on the walls and ceilings are from the 15th to 18th centuries. In the second cave, considered the finest, are 150 life-size images of the Buddha. The ceiling is covered with frescoes depicting great events in the life of Buddha as well as notable landmarks in the history of the Sinhalese.
