Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Candi Prambanan

Candi Prambanan dibangun pada sekitar tahun 850 Masehi atau pada abad 10 pada masa pemerintahan dua raja yaitu Rakai Pikatan dan Rakai Balitung, direstorasi kembali pada abad 18 sampai 19. Candi Prambanan terletak sekitar 20km sebelah timur kota Yogyakarta, 40km sebelah barat kota Surakarta atau 120km sebelah selatan kota Semarang, persis di perbatasan antara provinsi Jawa Tengah dan Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Candi tercantik dan terbesar di Asia Tenggara ini sering disebut juga Candi Roro Jonggrang.

Candi Prambanan memiliki 3 candi utama di halaman utama, yaitu Candi BataraWisnu sang Pemelihara, Batara Brahma sang pencipta, dan Batara Siwa sang penghancur. Ketiga candi tersebut adalah lambang Trimurti dalam kepercayaan Hindu. Ketiga candi itu menghadap ke timur. Setiap candi utama memiliki satu candi pendamping yang menghadap ke barat, yaitu Nandini untuk Siwa, Angsa untuk Brahma, dan Garuda untuk Wisnu. Selain itu, masih terdapat 2 candi apit, 4 candi kelir, dan 4 candi sudut. Dan di halaman kedua memiliki 224 candi.

Pada candi Wisnu yang terletak di sebelah utara candi Siwa, terdapat satu ruangan yang berisi arca Wisnu. Di candi Brahma yang terletak di sebelah selatan candi Siwa, terdapat satu ruangan berisi arca Brahma. Memasuki candi Siwa yang terletak di tengah dan bangunannya paling tinggi, terdapat 4 buah ruangan. Satu ruangan utama berisi arca Siwa, sementara 3 ruangan yang lain masing-masing berisi arca Durga (istri Siwa), Agastya (guru Siwa), dan Ganesha (putra Siwa). Arca Durga itulah yang disebut-sebut sebagai arca Roro Jonggrang. Candi pendamping yang cukup memikat adalah Candi Garuda yang terletak di dekat Candi Wisnu. Candi ini menyimpan kisah tentang sosok manusia setengah burung yang bernama Garuda. Garuda merupakan burung mistik dalam mitologi Hindu yang bertubuh emas, berwajah putih, bersayap merah, berparuh dan bersayap mirip elang. Diperkirakan, sosok itu adalah adaptasi Hindu atas sosok Bennu (berarti terbit/bersinar, atau diasosiasikan dengan Dewa Re) dalam mitologi Mesir Kuno atau Phoenix dalam mitologi Yunani Kuno. Garuda bisa menyelamatkan ibunya dari kutukan Aruna (kakak Garuda yang terlahir cacat) dengan mencuri Tirta Amerta (air suci para dewa).

Pada saat ini, candi Prambanan masih dalam renovasi karena mengalami kerusakan cukup parah terkena gempa Bantul pada tahun 2006 yang lalu dan sampai sekarang candi ini masih dalam proses restorasi.

Borobudur Temple

When you visit Jogyakarta, the center of Javanese Arts & Cultures and one of Indonesia's most important centers of learning where's you can visit the Kraton, Royal Palace of the Sultan (Javanese King) where Javanese traditional music Gamelan and Ramayana Ballet are regularly performed, or during the free program, you explore around the long main street Jalan Malioboro, a great place to practice your bargaining skills before you enter the higher quality Batik workshops and enjoying the night life. Don't miss visit Borobudur Temple, It is located at Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, 42-km northwest of Yogyakarta or 90-km southeast of Semarang and leave very early morning from Jogyakarta or Semarang direct to Borobudur, you will enjoy the Beautiful sunrise from this beautiful temple

Borobudur Temple ("Candi Borobudur" in Indonesian) is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction. 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.

Borobudur Temple is the temple monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa and one of the world wonders and the biggest Buddhist temple in the ninth century Mahayana Buddhist monument measuring 123 x 123 meters.

Borobudur Temple is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments and one of the most magnificent Buddhist shrines in the world was built at the end of the 9th century by the Hindu kings of the Sailendra dynasty between 750 and 842 AD; 300 years before Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, 400 years before work had begun on the great European cathedrals. Little is known about its early history except that a huge tropical heat to shift and carve the 60,000 Cu m of stone. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles revealed Borobudur Temple in 1814.

Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO, following which the monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage; once a year Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument.

Overnight place
Many hotels and lodging can be found in there, from the cottage till five star class or more can be made the choice to stay and overnight.