Four Temples Strengthened as Places of Worship

RRI.CO.ID, Semarang - Borobudur, Prambanan, Mendut, and Pawon Temples in Central Java and Yogyakarta Provinces are no longer positioned solely as historical tourism destinations. The four temples are now being reinforced in their function as worship spaces for Buddhists and Hindus, and are being prepared as spiritual centers expected to attract devotees from across Indonesia and abroad.

The move was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the central government, the Central Java Provincial Administration, and the Yogyakarta Provincial Administration at the Religious Affairs Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The agreement opens broader space for the sustainable use of temple areas for religious activities.

Central Java Deputy Governor, Taj Yasin Maimoen, said strengthening the religious function in temple areas could create a new magnet capable of drawing devotees to return repeatedly, not only for tourism but also for worship. He assessed that this visitation pattern would differ from ordinary tourism, which is typically short-term.

He likened the concept to Makkah and the Vatican, known as global spiritual travel destinations. In his view, Borobudur, Prambanan, Mendut, and Pawon have strong potential to develop into religious destinations with wide-ranging impacts on communities

The impact is expected to extend beyond the tourism sector to the local economy. Hotels, culinary businesses, transportation services, and MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) around the temple areas stand to benefit from increased religious activity. “The economy isn’t just about hotels, but also also includes the MSME economy, because worship itself is a distinct magnet,” said Taj Yasin.

He stressed that reinforcing the temples’ religious function aligns with Central Java’s vision of developing sustainable tourism.

Religious Affairs Minister, Nasaruddin Umar, said temples are not merely historical buildings preserving traces of the past. Within them lie spiritual values, cultural heritage, and civilizational messages that must continue to be safeguarded and kept alive.

According to Minister Nasaruddin, the collaboration is a continuation of efforts initiated in 2022. Through the agreement, Prambanan Temple is further strengthened as a worship space for Hindus, while Borobudur, Mendut, and Pawon are developed as centers for Buddhist religious activities.

Participation data show that religious activities in temple areas have increased year on year. In 2025, Buddhist religious activities at Borobudur, Mendut, and Pawon involved 33,556 participants, including devotees from overseas.

This rise in participants is seen as a strong signal that the temple areas hold growing spiritual appeal. The trend also highlights opportunities to develop religious tourism that can support regional economic growth.

Minister Nasaruddin expressed hope that, in the future, the four temples would not only be places visited by tourists. More than that, the temple areas are expected to evolve into global centers of spirituality that preserve cultural heritage and deliver benefits to surrounding communities.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, added that the cross-ministerial and regional administration agreement also symbolizes strengthened tolerance and diversity. The use of temples for religious purposes, cultural preservation, tourism, and community economic empowerment is expected to proceed harmoniously and in tandem. ***