Borobudur

Borobudur is a 9th century Mahayana-Buddhist monument which is both a shrine to Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The magnificent temple is a three-dimensional mandala (diagram of the universe) and a visual representation of Buddhist teachings. For centuries the site lay deserted and half hidden under volcanic ash and jungle growth until, in the early 1800's, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the then ruler of Java, was advised of its location by resident Indonesians. In 1835 the site was cleared and some efforts were made to restore it. Significant restoration in the late 70's returned the site to most of its former glory and the monument is now a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site attracting large numbers of visitors every year. The site is best seen at sunset and especially sunrise when, on a clear day, you can sometimes see steaming Mount Merapi in the distance.

---

Share this page