Prambanan Temple

About Prambanan Temple

• It is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and among the most significant in Southeast Asia. 
  • It is also the second largest in Southeast Asia after Angkor Wat in Cambodia.  
• Location: It is located on the plains of Central Java, Yogyakarta.
• Built by:  It was built during the 9th and 10th centuries under the Sanjaya dynasty of the ancient Mataram Kingdom.
• Dedicated to: It is dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti: Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
• Prambanan Temple Compounds consist of Prambanan Temple (also called Loro Jonggrang), Sewu Temple, Bubrah Temple and Lumbung Temple.
• Architecture: 
  • Unlike many temples with wide, spread-out layouts, Prambanan’s tall towers rise steeply into the sky, creating a striking skyline that can be seen from far away.
  • At the centre of the complex are three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. 
  • The Shiva temple is the tallest, standing about 47 metres high. It is the most prominent temple and contains statues of Shiva, Durga, Ganesha, and the sage Agastya.
  • Originally, the complex had about 240 temples covering nearly 40 hectares, making it one of the largest religious sites built in ancient Java.
    • Around the main temples were hundreds of smaller temples called pervara shrines. Many of these are now in ruins.
    • The temples are arranged in a carefully planned square layout based on Hindu beliefs about the universe.
  • The temples are decorated with detailed stone carvings. The galleries around the temples contain well-preserved bas-reliefs, a type of sculpture where figures are carved so they project slightly from a flat surface. These carvings tell stories from the Ramayana, one of Hinduism’s most important epics.
  • Visitors traditionally walk clockwise around the temple corridors, following the story shown in the carvings, much like reading an ancient graphic novel carved in stone.
  • These reliefs show the influence of Indian literature while also reflecting the unique artistic style of Java.
• Recognition: The Prambanan Temple Compounds in Yogyakarta were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.