Temples

THE PRAMBANAN PLAIN
Prambanan temple is located some 17 kilometers from Yogyakarta. One can not miss the temple because it is only 100 meters off the main road.

This 47 high Hindu Temple was built by Sanjaya Dynasty in the 9 century. It consists of three courtyards. The main temple is located in the inner courtyard and surrounded by several small temples called ‘Perwara’ Temples. Some of these where contribute by local chieftains as a token of there acquiescence to the king.

As a Hindu Temple, the main temple has three shrines, to the Hindu Trinity; Ciwa, Whisnu, and Brahma. Each of this shrines facing to a smaller shrines for their vehicles. The cow Nandi is the vehicle of Ciwa, the destroyer god; the eagle Garuda is the vehicle of Whisnu, the creator god, and the swan Angsa is the vehicle of Brahma, the guardian god.

Entering the main temple from the north, one will find a statue of a very beautiful princess, Roro Jonggrang. According to the legend, Roro Jonggrang was the daughter of King Boko who was cursed into a statue.

The legend says that a young powerful man named Bandung Bondowoso wants to marry Roro Jonggrang. Since she doesn’t love him, Roro Jonggrang tries to avoid the marriage by asking Bandung Bondowoso a present. She will marry him if Bandung Bondowoso is really a powerfulman. Bandung Bondowoso is required to build a thousand temples in one night. Having supernatural power, Bandung Bondowoso was almost successfully finishing the task. But Roro Jonggrang still tries to prevent the good work. She asks the maidens east of the village of the temples to burn the hay and pound the rice, so that cause the situation like dawn and time for sunrise. When the cock began to crow, all the supernatural being flee because they think the dawn has come. Being unable to control his anger, Bandung Bondowoso curses Roro Jonggrang into a statue that now complete the temple.

Relief depicting the heavenly creatures were carved around the food of the Civa temple symbolizing the cosmic system. Entering the temple from the south and walking around the sub base of the temple with the main shrine on your right (Pradaksina) one will see the whole relief of the story of Ramayana. The story ends at the relief carved on the balustrade of Brahma temple. The story of Kresnayana which tells the childhood of Prabu Kresna, can be seen on the balustrade of Whisnu temple.

From May to October, at full moon...

The story of Ramayana is usually presented in the evening from 07.00 pm to 9.00 pm. As a traditional dance the dance is performed on an open air stage to the west of the temple.

SEWU TEMPLE
Sewu temple is located just several hundred maters north-east of Prambanan temple. It is a large and vast Buddhist temple including several other small temples like Lumbung, Asu, Bubrah, and Lor Kulon temple. About one kilometers east of sewu temple lies Plaosan Temple.

BANYU NIBO TEMPLE
Banyu Nibo temple can be visited easily after visiting King Boko temple. It is located solitarily amid the farmland about two kilometers southeast of King Boko’s Palace, flanked by Gunung Kidul hills to the south.

KALASAN TEMPLE
This Unique Buddhist temple is located some 16 km east of Yogyakarta on the south side of the main road between Yogyakarta and Prambanan. The temple was built in the honor of the marriage between King Pancapana of the Sanjaya Dynasty and a Princess of the Cailendra Dynasty, Dyah Pramudya Wardhani. It is beautifully ornamented with finely carved reliefs and coated with “Vrajalepa”, a yellowish material made of the sap of certain three. The Vajralepa functioned as adhesive and as a protection against moss and mildew, and refined the carving as well. Sari Temple, one of the Buddhist temple is located about 600 meters north east of Kalasan

SAMBISARI TEMPLE
The temple, which has been restored recently, is located some 12 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, on the north of the main road between Yogyakarta and Solo.

Sambisari temple is very unique, it lies 6,5 meters bellow the ground level. It was erected in the 10th century. Because of the eruption of mount Merapi in 1006 the area surrounding the temple covered with volcanic material.