The world’s largest Buddhist temple is the Borobudur Temple. The largest Hindu temple in Indonesia is the Prambanan Temple. The Prambanan Temple is the largest temple complex in the Java region. It consists of three main temples, each dedicated to the Hindu deities Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. According to Hindu belief, it is a temple complex adorned with symbols of the three gods (Trimurti).
Prambanan is the most beautiful temple in the world
Inside the complex, there are 3 Trimurti temples, 3 Vahana temples (Nandi, Garuda, Hamsa), 2 Apit temples, 4 Kelir temples, 4 Patol temples, and 224 Pervara temples. And not to mention the reliefs on the temples.
According to historical records, the Hindu prince Rakai Pikatan of the Sanjaya dynasty built Prambanan Temple around the 9th century, 50 years after the construction of Borobudur. The temple complex originally consisted of more than 250 large and small temples. In the 10th century, much of the temple was abandoned as the Mataram Dynasty moved to the eastern part of Java.
By the 16th century, after experiencing earthquakes and subsequent looting, the temple was left to its fate. The restoration of the ruined structure began in 1937. While exploring the temple, you can still observe piles of rocks in the surroundings, some of which have not been restored.
The local people refer to the Prambanan Temple as Rara Jonggrang. As for the story: Prince Bandung Bondowoso falls deeply in love with Princess Rara Jonggrang, the daughter of King Boko. However, in order to marry the princess, Prince must battle King Boko. When Prince defeats King Boko, the princess refuses to marry him due to her father’s death. Instead, she sets an impossible condition, thinking he will not be able to fulfill it, to put an end to the matter. The condition is to build 1000 temples overnight ☺ If he completes this task, she says she will marry him.
Prince manages to build 999 of the temples, and as he is about to start the last one, the princess instructs the villagers to create the illusion of a sunrise by lighting fires. Just as he is about to enter the last temple, Prince sees the illusion of sunrise and is devastated by sorrow. However, upon learning that it was a trick, he becomes furious. The legend, passed from mouth to mouth, tells that because of the princess’s behavior, the gods turned her into stone, and the last temple became cursed. This temple is none other than Prambanan. Similar to Borobudur, it was also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.
Entrance Fee: 25 USD
Watch the Ramayana Ballet Show. It’s an open-air performance featuring over 200 professional dancers. For show dates and ticket prices, click here.
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