RRI.CO.ID, Magelang - Borobudur Temple in Magelang Regency, Central Java, has become one of the cultural tourism destinations known internationally. Not only is it the largest Buddhist temple in the world, but this historical building also holds cultural values, philosophy, and traces of past civilizations.

Covering an area of approximately 2,500 square meters, the temple measures about 121.66 meters in length, 121.38 meters in width, and 35.40 meters in height. The grandeur of the temple is further highlighted by thousands of relief panels and hundreds of Buddha statues that adorn the structure.

History

Borobudur Temple is estimated to have been built in the 8th century, around 750 AD, during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty. The construction process of this temple is estimated to have taken 75 years, until it was completed during the reign of King Samaratungga.

The structure is composed of millions of stones that form three main structures. These arrangements depict the concept of the levels of the universe in Buddhist philosophy.

This temple has 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues depicting various life stories and moral teachings in the Buddhist tradition.

The historical journey of Borobudur Temple also fell into obscurity for centuries. The major eruption of Mount Merapi around the year 1006 caused the temple to be buried under volcanic ash for hundreds of years.

The ancient site was then rediscovered in 1814 by the Dutch engineer Hermanus Christiaan Cornelius while the Java region was under British rule led by Thomas Stamford Raffles.

After Indonesia gained independence, the government, in collaboration with UNESCO, undertook extensive restoration of Borobudur Temple starting in the late 1960s. These preservation efforts led to the temple being designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

Surrounding Highlights

In addition to offering the grandeur of the main temple, the Borobudur Temple area also has several interesting tourist destinations to visit.

Tourists can deepen their historical insight by visiting several museums around the temple area, such as the Borobudur Museum, the Samudraraksa Ship Museum, and the MURI Museum.

For visitors who want to enjoy the panorama of the monument from a distance, Punthuk Setumbu has become one of the favorite locations. From this place, tourists can witness the sunrise or sunset with the structure in the background.

Not far from the area, there is a unique building known to the public as the Gereja Ayam ( the Chicken Church). In addition, tourists can also visit several other temples around Borobudur, such as Pawon Temple, Ngawen Temple, and Mendut Temple.

To enjoy the atmosphere of the Borobudur area for a longer time, tourists can stay in several nearby tourist villages, including Wanurejo, Karangrejo, Tanjungsari, Giritengah, Majaksingi, and Candirejo.