Exploring A Thousand Years Old Temples in Yogyakarta

Archaeological Sights

Exploring A Thousand Years Old Temples in Yogyakarta

As a famous archaeotourism destination, Yogyakarta is a paradise for exploring a thousand years old temples and finding the ruins of the "enigmatic missing civilizations". Candi (ancient temples). Candi is ancient archeological structure constructed during 7th-9th century aimed for a specific religion (Buddhist or Hindu). It was constructed from hundreds of volcanic or river stone blocks and assembled solely by human labor. Candi walls is often carved with reliefs depicting stories, and a stone God or Goddess statue usually sits at the center.

There are several candi located in Yogyakarta and it's proximity. Borobudur, one of famous candi is in Magelang, not far from Yogyakarta. Prambanan, also a well-known candi is in the Yogyakarta-Central Java border area.

Borobudur, The Biggest Buddhist Temple in the Ninth Century

Address: Borobudur, Magelang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia

GPS Coordinate: S7°36'28.3" E110°12'13.5"

Borobudur is the biggest Buddhist temple in the ninth century measuring 123 x 123 meters. It is located at Magelang, 90-km southeast of Semarang, or 42-km northwest of Yogyakarta. Borobudur temple is the one of the best-preserved ancient monument in Indonesia that are most frequently visited by over a million domestic as well as foreign visitors. It also had been acclaimed by the world as a cultural heritage main kind. The architectural style has no equal through out the world. It was completed centuries before Angkor Wat in Kamboja. Borobudur is one of the world's most famous temples; it stands majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields and distant hills. Borobudur is built of gray andesite stone. It rises to seven terraces, each smaller than the one below it. The top is the Great Stupa, standing 40 meters above the ground. The walls of the Borobudur are sculptured in bas-reliefs extending over a total length of six kilometers. It has been hailed as the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist relieves in the world, unsurpassed in artistic merit and each scene an individual masterpiece.

Prambanan, The Most Beautiful Hindu Temple in the World

Address: Jalan Raya Jogja - Solo Km 16 Prambanan, Sleman, Yogyakarta 55571, Indonesia

GPS Coordinate: S7°45'7.1" E110°29'28.1"

Prambanan Temple is locally known as the Roro Jonggrang Temple, or the Temple of the “Slender Virgin”, it is the biggest and most beautiful Hindu temple in Indonesia. The temple complex of Prambanan lies among green fields and villages. It has eight shrines, of which the three main ones are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The main temple of Shiva rises to a height of 130 feet and houses the magnificent statue of Shiva’s consort, Durga. There are 224 temples in the complex; three of them, the main temples are Brahma Temple in the north, Vishnu Temple in the south, and the biggest among the three which lies between Brahma and Vishnu temples is Shiva Temple (47 meters high).

Plaosan Temple, The Twin Temple in Yogyakarta

Address: Dukuh Plaosan, Desa Bugisan, Prambanan, Jawa Tengah 57454, Indonesia
GPS Coordinate: S7°44'33.5" E110°30'16.7"

Plaosan founded in the 9th century AD by the king and the queen named Rakai Pikatan and Pramudya Wardhani. Rakai Pikatan was the sixth king of the genealogy of the kings who ruled Old Mataram Kingdom from Sanjaya Buddhist Dynasty around the year 847 until 856 AD. While the Queen, Pramudya Wardhaniis the daughter of Samaratungga from Syailendra Buddhist Dynasty.

King Boko Palace, the Glory on a Peaceful Hill

Address: Jalan Raya Jogja-Solo, Prambanan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
GPS Coordinate: S7°46'17.9" E110°29'24.9"

Ratu Boko is an archaeological site known to modern Javanese as Kraton Ratu Boko or Ratu Boko’s Palace. Ratu Boko is located on a plateau, about three kilometres south of Lara Jonggrang Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta Indonesia. The original name of this site is still unclear, however the local inhabitants named this site after King Boko, the legendary king mentioned in Lara Jonggrang folklore. If you enter from the palace gateway, you will directly be guided to the center part. Two high gates will welcome you. The first gate has three entrances while the second one has five.

Kedulan Temple, Revealing the Puzzle of the Ancient Dam

Kedulan Temple, Revealing the Puzzle of the Ancient Dam nearby Kedulan Temple

Address: Kalasan, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
GPS Coordinate: S7°44'12.7" E110°28'13.2"

Kedulan temple is a Hindu-style temple located in the hamlet Kedulan, approximately 3 kilometers from Kalasan. This temple was accidentally discovered by miners sand on 24 November 1993. Distinct pleasure would be obtained if visiting this temple, because you can enjoy the process of reconstruction of the temple is very complicated. 7 meter deep excavation will immediately encountered upon arriving at this temple complex. Excavation site contains the temple stones were scattered in all directions and the distance of the main temple that looks still together. In this excavation Kedulan temple complex consisting of one main temple and three ancillary temples (companion) originally stood. Now, the foot of the main temple is being tested in order to be boarded kekokohannya other stones at a later stage.

Ijo Temple, Temple at the Highest Place in Yogyakarta

Ijo Temple, the Temple Located at the Highest Place in Yogyakarta

Address: Bukit Ijo, Desa Sambirejo, Prambanan, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
GPS Coordinate: S7°47'2.2" E110°30'44.2"

Going along the street leading to the southern part of Queen Boko Palace complex is such an exciting journey, especially for cultural tourism lovers. The reason is that there are so many temples mushrooming in that area. One of them that is rarely talked about is Candi Ijo or Ijo Temple; one temple of which location is the highest compared to other temples in Yogyakarta. Ijo Temple was built in around the ninth century on a hill named the Green Hill of which height is 410 meters above the sea level. Because of this height, we can enjoy not only the temple but also natural view below such as terraces of agriculture land with its steep slope. Even though this is not a fertile area, natural view around the temple is so beautiful to enjoy.