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Pura Luhur Uluwatu

Pura Luhur Uluwatu Is unknown at Uluwatu temple built by MPU or MPU Kuturan Rajakreta during the reign of conjugal Sri Msula-Masuli the XI century. However, there are interesting facts from historical remains in Uluwatu. Ancient remains at the temple in the form of brackets or kori bight temple towering grand stately limit jaba central area with the temple offal, predicted this temple has existed since the 8th century. Ancient temples that Isaka year menatahkan count with candrasangkala sawang gana gana means the Isaka 808 or around 886 AD. So, before the MPU Kuturan to Bali.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu role has an important role in ista of Bali. In PadmaBhuana Purai Uluwatu in Bali is located in the southwestern region, which is a place of worshiping the god Rudra .. In addition to its geographical position, another uniqueness of the Pura Luhur Uluwatu is heading toward a worship Southwestern. Generally, in some other prahyangan in Bali, which worship facing north and timur.Ketika we see on the left before entering the temple are shrines can be found Jurit Dalem 3 Tri Murti monument, a place subuah Shiva Rudra. In the middle jaba we turned left again there is a water tank that is always filled with water despite the dry season though. It is considered a wonder of Uluwatu. Because, in the village of Pecatu is a hilly area calcareous rock that relies on rain water. Because there is magic, the water bath was sacred. Typically used for the benefit of the holy tirta. Then further from the center continues jaba will enter through the temple parentheses, brackets temple is the suspect made at around the 11th century, AD if associated with the presence of Kurungbersayap temple in Pura Sakenan. But there is also the opinion that such a temple winged brackets in East Java archaeological heritage in Spring Duwur with Candra Sengkala which marks the Saka year sentence in Old Javanese language as follows: Gunaning salira Tirtha wind, meaning the figures showed Saka year 1483 or the year 1561 AD ,
Brackets temple winged Mercury in Spring Mix together with the temple Brackets Duwur Mix and Mercury in Uluwatu. Thus it seems more appropriate to say that the temple Brackets Mix and Mercury in Uluwatu made at the time, namely Dang Hyang Dwijendra XVI century. Because Dang Hyang Dwijendra one who expands Uluwatu. Once we get into the innards (inside the temple) we encounter the most basic building is Meru Overlapping the three places of worship of Lord Shiva Rudra. Other buildings are complementary buildings like Heading place and Hall Pawedaan laying ceremony where priests worshiping rites. Piodalan ceremony or a big feast day falls on a Uluwatu Temple POND, wuku Medangsia.

Maps Of Pura Luhur Uluwatu

Wonderful Toraja

The body of Puang Dina Lona Londongallo laid back one place in the court of the eternal in a single grave stone shaped burrow in Suaya. According to Theophilus, the laying of the body showed that parents are a couple who immortalized with love.The funeral procession of traditional rituals known as ma peliang. Its location on a hillside Suaya, ancestral burial location puang Stone that one of his descendants was the mother of the Regent of Tana Toraja.How romance is indicated? Theophilus tells that his father died late WM 1983 Allorerung ago. His body was removed from the grave and placed a day in late Puang Suaya waiting for his wife Dina Lona Londongallo the funeral through traditional procession in Kokkang, Rembon which lasted for several days at the end of December 2014.Relatives Theofilus, Batara Londongallo, told Dawn online (JPNN.com Group) said that the burial story like Romeo and Julia. That was done because the children (Theofilus brothers) who jumlan 13 people feel the love, affection and love from their parents.They also witnessed how the two men who were so they respect and shows the price of eternal love. "It makes them agree, both are buried in a hole or a grave stone, a sign and an example of how the eternal love shown," he said.Liang became grave where 'love' couple's parents at area locations Theofilus attractions Suaya, a cliff with a number of 7 pieces of stone burrows. Liang was burrows rather than descent Puang Stone, royalty Toraja.Theophilus himself said, that it was an example of his parents and teachers for him and his brother. They both were able to show how to organize life to be a blessing to others. His admiration was delivered during the burial of the mother ahead. Even with a sad tone he recalled the deceased mother who became a central figure after his father died.Dina puang late Lona Londong Allo content were over the role of her late husband to be the father and mother

Maps Of Toraja

Bunaken Marine Park

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

Some 20,000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park. Although there are inevitable conflicts between resource protection and use by people, the Indonesian government is taking a fairly unusual and pragmatic approach to park management. The idea is to promote wise resource use while preventing overexploitation. Local communities, government officials, dive resort operators, local nature groups, tourists and scientists have played an active role in developing exclusive zones for diving, wood collection, fishing and other forms of utilization. If successful, Bunaken Marine Park will stand as an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

Maps Of Bunaken Marine Park

Raja Ampat Island

Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat be excellent in the new world of Indonesian tourism. The charm of the tourist attractions in Indonesia is widely known by both domestic and foreign tourists. Raja Ampat itself is a collection of islands at the tip of Papua. There are four main islands here, namely Waigeo, Misool, Salawati and Batanta.Natural wealth under the sea Raja Ampat not be doubted. Waters in these places are known as one of the best diving and snorkeling locations in the world. The Nature Conservancy even mention that about 75% of world marine life can be found in the waters of Raja Ampat. To prove it, please prepare your dive perlengakapan and start exploring the underwater nature. October and November is called as the best time to dive here because of the weather and water conditions are ideal.Besides diving, you also can explore the beauty of the mainland islands in the Raja Ampat. Locals will be happy to offer his services as a guide. During the trekking, you can also stop by the homes of citizens and interact directly or buy handicrafts such as statues Asmat and traditional musical instruments as a souvenir of their work.

Maps Of Raja Ampat Island

The island of Komodo

The island of Komodo

The island of Komodo in the Komodo National Park along with other islands around the islands of Nusa Tenggara. In 1986, UNESCO set sights on Indonesia as one of the world heritage site. The island is considered as the Komodo dragon habitat must be protected. One of the highest honors that were achieved were successfully entered the ranks of the world's seven natural miracles or better known as the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

These attractions offer the natural beauty of the land and under the sea that is remarkable. There are many things you can do here, from trekking, diving to snorkerling.

Maps Of The island of Komodo

Beautifull Of Karimun Jawa

Beautifull Of Karimun Jawa

Was an hour before sunset on the remote Indonesian archipelago of Karimunjawa, a scattering of 27 tiny islands in the Java Sea, south of Borneo. My husband, Carsten, two children and I were on a turquoise outrigger canoe, paddling along the shoreline of the island of Menyawakan, which was lined with clusters of mangroves. Looking down into the clear, shallow water, we spotted a black sea cucumber that wound its sinuous way along the sand like a snake.

Gliding toward a bouquet of sea anemones, Carsten spotted three small clown fish darting playfully among the waving fingers of the anemones. “Nemo!” shouted my 4-year-old, Cosima, awe-struck. For at least five minutes we all watched, mesmerized, as my husband tickled the biggest of the three. It stood its ground as the others hid behind it. As the sun went down in glorious shades of pink and red, and Carsten continued to cavort with a creature that seemed more cartoon than fish, it felt as if we had crossed over to another world.
This sort of dreamlike encounter happened more than once during our five days in September exploring Karimunjawa, an off-the-map spot with a population of about 10,000, many of whom still make a living from fishing and cultivating seaweed. For years an in-the-know destination for snorkeling and scuba-diving, the islands have recently begun to attract more and more travelers looking for an escape from the endless white noise of modern communication.

Maps Of karimun Jawa

Ratu Boko Heritage Site

Queen Boko Boko Located on a hill above an altitude of 195.75 DPL with an area of 160 898 m2. With 7771 ° latitude coordinates 110 491 ° BT exactly located in the hamlet Samberwatu (Village Sambirejo) and hamlets Dawung (Village Bokoharjo) Prambanan subdistrict, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta province. Boko queen palace encountered many archaeological remains such as the castle gate, combustion chambers, baths, and statues. Some sites that circles the temple around the Palace of Queen Boko tersebat in the south and west side of the hill, like a temple Ijo, Baron Temple, and Temple Miri. In archeology, Ratu Boko Palace can be divided into two parts, namely the palace next to the hill west and east. The complex is located on the west in the form of footpaths, drains, ponds and fragments of pottery both local and foreign.While in the eastern part subdivided into three groups of southeast, west and east. The rest of the palace which is located on the west keep some relics such as temples of white stone, gate 1 and gate 2, kiln, talut, water reservoirs, construction pedestals and two shelf paseban. It is located in front of the complex just as adventurous first entry into the palace the queen Boko. The rest of the palace that is in the southeast contains the pavilion building, some fruit shelf temples, miniature temple, several pools keputren, and two shelf keputren. Being on the east side of the palace there is cave lanang (male), cave wadon (female), ponds and stairs.

Maps Of Ratu Boko Yogyakarta

Mount Merapi

Mount Merapi, (literally Mountain of Fire in Indonesian/Javanese), is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. It is located approximately 28 km north of Yogyakarta city, and thousands of people live on the flanks of the volcano, with villages as high as 1700 m above sea level.

The name Merapi could be loosely translated as ‘Mountain of Fire’ from the Javanese combined words; Meru means “mountain” and api means “fire”. Smoke can be seen emerging from the mountaintop at least 300 days a year, and several eruptions have caused fatalities. Hot gas from a large explosion killed 27 people on November 22 in 1994, mostly in the town of Muntilan, west of the volcano. Another large eruption occurred in 2006, shortly before the Yogyakarta earthquake. In light of the hazards that Merapi poses to populated areas, it has been designated as one of the Decade Volcanoes.

On 25 October 2010 the Indonesian government raised the alert for Mount Merapi to its highest level and warned villagers in threatened areas to move to safer ground. People living within a 20 km (12.5 mile) zone were told to evacuate. Officials said about 500 volcanic earthquakes had been recorded on the mountain over the weekend of 23–24 October, and that the magma had risen to about a kilometre below the surface due to the seismic activity. On the afternoon of 25 October 2010 Mount Merapi erupted lava from its southern and southeastern slopes. ( Wikipedia)

Maps Of Merapi Mount

Dieng Plateau

Dieng Plateau

HISTORY AND ORIGIN DIENGIn the early centuries AD, there was a massive migration process Kalinga residents to various parts of Asia, one of them to the island of Java.according to some sources, the migration caused by attacks Ashoka kingdom located in the northern kingdom of Kalinga, but according to a researcher from France, migration is just a regular migration in order to expand the scope of Kalinga were later trading nation as well as a means of cultural dissemination.The migration process brings great influence both in belief, technology, up to literature. Even the cultivation of rice was thought to be one of the nation kaligga technology brought to Java. Within a certain time, there was a continuous process civilisasi, until finally Dieng became a great civilization system and also as a forerunner to the establishment of the House of the Ancient Mataram (Sanjaya and the Sailendra), which reached its peak in the 8-9 century AD, with evidence in the form of legacy temples which until now we can still see the remains of his legacy.The migration process is not spontaneous but structured transfer of a mature plan. Before the migration process is done, they have to search places that are considered appropriate for a symbolic move "heaven" in the Himalayas to Java. And the place is deemed fit Dieng. Therefore, later Dieng be pingkalingganing Bhawana (Axis World)Dieng own name against the backdrop of the events of transfer of symbols of paradise done Sang Hyang Djagadnata (Bathara Teacher), as contained in the fibers Paramayoga the work of R Ng Ranggawarsito. Dieng derived from the Sanskrit Di means high place or mountain and Hyang means ancestors or gods.

Tourism Object Dieng

     Dieng temple complex
         Arjuna temple complex
         Gatutkaca temple: The area where stand several temples that line, namely: Arjuna, Semar, Sembadra Temple, Temple Puntadewa
         Candi Bima
         Dwarawati

   Lake
         Telaga Warna Dieng
         Telaga Merdada
         Menjer Lake
         Telaga Dringo
         tadpole pond

     Crater
         crater Sikidang
         crater Sileri
         crater Sikendang
         crater Candradimuka

     Other Destinations
         Sikunir hills Dieng
         Mount Prau
         Mount Pakuwaja
         hill Pangonan
         and much more

     Cultural Tourism Dieng
         Dance Mask Lengger
         Dance Rampag Yaksas
         Hair Cut Ceremony Gimbal
         etc.

Maps Of Dieng

Water Castle Tamansari

Water Castle Tamansari

Castle is one of the cultural heritage of Yogyakarta Sultanate palace still standing. Castle was built during the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I in 1758. Sampi today Castle has undergone several renovations so it looks more beautiful by not eliminating the historical and aesthetic value of the original. Tamansari is not far from the Sultan Palace that is only about 300 meters to the west of the palace. Water Castle Tamansari

The main object of this Castle is a fortress surrounded by a pool of water as high as 6 meters along its function in the future as a bathing pool pembangunanya ie the wives of the Sultan Hamengkubutamansari water castle petualanganwono story I. It is said that at that time the Castle used the Sultan to see the istrinyanya when taking a bath , For that there is no place like a high tower created as a place to observe the wife was in the shower is.Water Castle Tamansari For the full story about the history of this Castle in cultural sights are also many guides available that will give any information about the Castle and deliver tourists to all parts of the complex.

I myself have several times visited the area of cultural tourism on this one. Before the entrance to the Castle there is a picture that shows the layout of the Castle in the old days. From there it can be seen that there is around the place formerly orchards surrounding it so that the Sultan can pick fruit at any time. Among orchards are watermelon, pineapple, mango, etc. I can imagine that at that time the Castle looks so cool and elegant with many fruit trees around it. It is very different with what I saw there that the area around the Castle which has been turned into houses. It is said that those who live there are the relatives of palace courtiers who have hereditary so more and more in number.Water Castle Tamansari

Once inside this place I soon witnessed large pool split into two parts with water so clear that seemed to make me want to throw themselves into it. In addition to the main pool which is divided into two parts, after coming through the bottom two floors of the tower is provided as a water sutamansari petualanganltan story castle witnessed the wife was in the shower, there is a pool that size, smaller again. I tried to go up to the tower to observe the Castle from the top. She found it favors sit back and relax on while watching the two pools on the north and south towers. Breezy wind blows from the web spaces jeruji- window bars installed wood is still original from the first created. However it is unfortunate there are a lot of hand-hand corat- streak ignorant so slightly reduce keindahanya. Besides enjoying views of the pool I can also see the houses of people are around that supposedly was once the orchard the fruit. Water Castle Tamansari

Water Castle Tamansari Map

cultural tourism

Cultural diversity that exist in one place can be used as a tourist attraction to be visited by tourists. Cultural tourism is concerned distinctiveness and uniqueness of culture, can be art, ceremonies and works of art of local communities.
Cultural tourism is traveling together with the aim of recognizing the results of the local culture (Indonesian Dictionary, 2001: 1274).Another limitation of cultural tourism are: Motion or tourist activity stimulated by the sights of the tangible results of the local art and culture: customs, ceremonies agarna, order of life, relics of history, of art, crafts people and so on (RS Damardjati, 1989: 19)

The cultural tourism has elements that attract tourists, including:

    Event packed performances from the culture or customs of local communities
    Research and scientific research and other activities that are culturally educative
    Elements of tangible or material in the form of the craft which is characterized by local cultural wisdom
    Another element which is packed in event history and educational tourism
However, cultural tourism has a negative effect on the continuity of the culture itself, including:

    Traditional community interaction with modern society that allow for patterns affect each other, which will transform the cultural life of local communities.
    Excessive commercialization of cultural tourism resulted in the effort to change the culture, if it is considered less economic value.
    The transformation of social activity towards the products and the introduction of the new economy will form a bit much to change the values of the structure and culture of the society.

Prambanan Temple

Prambanan Temple ( also known as Lorojonggrang Temple ) was located at Bokoharjo Village, Prambanan, East of Yogyakarta. The exact date of when the Lorojonggrang Temple was built was still in argument. However, there are two opinion of who builds the Temple. One opinion stated that there was only one, dynasty, Cailendra Dynasty, before Lorojonggrang Temple was built. The second opinion stated that there were two dynasties, Cailendra and Sanjaya Dynasty. Cailendra Dynasty occupied the Southern part of Central Java, whereas Sanjaya Dynasty occupied the Northern part. Buddhist Temples were found mostly in the Southern part of Central Java, and that the Ciwa Temples (Hindu) were found in Northern part of Central Java.

It seemed that Sanjaya Dynasty existed before the Cailendra Dynasty with the center of authority in South Kedu (around Magelang, North of Yogyakarta ). This statement was based on Canggal Inscription ( 732 A.D. ). The Sanjaya Dynasty was then pushed to the North by the Cailendra Dynasty which arrived around 778 A.D. (Kalasan Inscription). The existence of Sanjaya Dynasty was also mentioned in Balitung inscription (708 A.D.). In that inscription it was stated that whenever a King died, the King became a "Dews" ( God, Devine). Based on the inscription studies, it showed the sequence of Kings in Sanjaya Dynasty as follows : Sanjaya (732 - 760 A.D.) Panangkaran (760 - 780 A.D.) Warak (800 - 819 A.D.) Garung (819 - 838 A.D.) Pikatan (838 - 851 A.D.) Kayuwangi (851 - 882 A.D.)

The Rise of Cailendra Dynasty was inscripted in Kalasan inscription, and was followed by other inscriptions, but the historical sequence was difficult to be followed and still a debate. Some inscriptions stated the possibility that both dynasties built the same holy temples as well ( Kalasan Inscription and short Inscription in Plaosan Temple ). On the short inscription two Kings were mentioned, Rakai Pikatan from Sanjaya Dynasty and Sri Kaluhunan from the Cailendra Dynasty. Casparis identified Sri Kaluhunan as the son of the latest King of Cailendra Dynasty, Samaratungga. According to Karang Tengah Inscription ( 824 A D. ), Samaratungga was also called Pramodawardani. The marriage of King and Queen with different religion ( Buddha and Ciwa/Hindu) seemed to influence the architecture of Prambanan Temple which was built by King Pikatan ( Sanjaya Dynasty ). The top of Prambanan Temple did not have a lingga type ( phallus type) but instead a ratna type ( ratna = diamond) which looked like a stupa.

At this point, the King who ordered the building of Lorojonggrang Temple is not convincing. According to the 856 A.D. inscription ( locality source is unknown, preserved in Jakarta Museum of Art ) stated that King Jatiningrat was replaced by Dyah Lokapala. Darmais and Casparis identified Dyah Lokapala as King Kayuwangi who issued Argapura Inscription ( 863 A.D.) According to Balitung inscription (907 A.D.), Kayuwangi was the King between 851-882 A.D. The King before Kayuwangi era was Rakai Pikatan, and thus be concluded that Jatiningrat was indeed Rakai Pikatan.

The Balitung Inscription also described more detail on the structural arrangement of temples. On the 11 th line of the inscription, it stated that temple buildings were categorized into two kinds: the Ciwagraha (graha = a house) and Ciwalaya. The main temple (Ciwagraha) was built by the King, and smaller and lesser temples Ciwalaya ) were built by ordinary people regardless of social status.

All the three squares have gates to connect the other squares. The outer square do not have temples. Inside the middle square there are 224 Perwara temples which are arranged in 4 rows of temples. The first row consists of 68 temples, followed by the second row (60 temples), the third row (52 temples) and the fourth row (44 temples ). The arrangement of temples is in such a way that shorter temples lies in the outside and getting higher toward the center. Inside the center square are sixteen small and big temples, Some of them are

Ciwa Temple as the main temple. Wisnu Temple in the North of Ciwa Temple.Brahma Temple in the South of Ciwa Temple.Nandi Temple in front of Ciwa Temple.Temple A and B lies in front of Wisnu and Ciwa Temple Apit Temple lies in the North and the South flanking row of temples {the West and East row (apit = to flank)} Four Kelir Temples in front of each gate of the main square.Four Sudut Temples (sudut = corner) at each of the corner of the main square.

Maps Of Prambanan Temple

Bali is an island of temples

Bali is an island of temples. The Department of Religion has cataloged at least eleven thousand temples - small and large, local and regional. The Balinese call a shrine palinggih, which simply means "place" or "seat" and refers to any sort of temporary or permanent place toward which devotions and offerings are made. In no case is the shrine itself considered sacred; the shrine exists or is built as a residence for sacred, or holy, spirits - either ancestors or Hindu deities. Balinese temples are not closed buildings, but rectangular courtyards open to the sky, with rows of shrines and altars dedicated to various gods and deities. The gods are not thought to be present in the temples except on the dates of the temple's festivals, and therefore the temples are usually left empty. On festival days the congregation of each temple assembles to pray to and entertain the visiting deities. Most Balinese families belong to a half dozen or more temples and devote several weeks of labor each year to maintaining the temples and preparing them for numerous festivals.

Writing in his excellent anthropological study The Balinese, J. Stephen Lansing explains that,

...the main focus of attention in Balinese temple festivals is not the row of shrines to the gods in the inner sanctum. Most Balinese temples contain an inner courtyard, an in-between space dividing the realm of the gods in the inner courtyard from the outside world. Widening this border or division into a space where an orchestra can be played and actors and puppeteers can perform creates a zone where the world of everyday life overlaps with the world of the gods in the inner sanctum. In temple festivals, this middle courtyard becomes a performance space where actors and actresses portraying mythic episodes from the lives of the gods and heroes may go into trance, possessed by the spirits of the characters they portray. Performances in the middle courtyard are addressed to both audiences at once: the gods for whom the festival is being held and the human audience.

Prayers and offerings to the gods comprise only a small part of typical temple festivals. The primary activities carried on in the temples are ceremonies of sacred dance and music. Writing in Bali: Sekala & Niskala, Fred Eiseman explains the nature and purpose of these ceremonies,

...Hindu-Balinese philosophy conceives of the universe, and all within it, as an equilibrium between good and bad forces. Neither can be eliminated, but ugly things can occur when nothing is done to maintain balance so that the negative forces get the upper hand. Religious ceremonies maintain the balance. The lovely offerings you see are for the positive forces, but just as much effort and attention is given to their negative counterparts, though this is not apparent to the casual visitor.

In Bali are found six supremely holy temples, called Sad Kahyangan, or the "six temples of the world". They are Pura Besakih, Pura Lempuyang Luhur, Pura Gua Lawah, Pura Batukaru, Pura Pusering Jagat, and Pura Uluwatu. The most famous temple in all Bali is the triple shrine located in the courtyard of the Pura Penataran Agung at Pura Besakih. At this shrine three Padmasanas (a type of shrine) are arranged side by side. Although it is often said that the three shrines are for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, all are fundamentally dedicated to Shiva. The elaborate tiered shrine is called a meru and symbolizes the world mountain, Gunung Maha Meru. Something like a Chinese pagoda, a meru is constructed of an odd number - up to eleven - of thatched tiers. The laws of traditional Balinese architecture carefully specify the dimensions of a meru, the way it must be constructed, the types of wood appropriate for each part, and the ceremonies involved in its dedication. If, for some reason, a shrine must be moved to another location, the spirit of the shrine is first transferred to a daksina, a special offering, which is then placed nearby in a temporary shrine. The original shrine is completely destroyed. None of its components may be reused for any purpose. Often the materials are dumped into the sea to insure that they are not unwittingly used again. This practice is in contrast to certain other religious traditions where the reuse of the remains of earlier temples is considered to actually increase the sanctity and power of newer temples.

Borobudur Temple

Sometime before the 5th century AD, the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism spread southward from the mainland of southeast Asia to the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and a few others in the archipelago currently called Indonesia. (It is misleading to think of all of Indonesia as either an ancient empire or the province of any particular religion. The vast archipelago of over 13,000 islands became the nation of Indonesia only in 1949 and only a few of its major islands were ever settled or much influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism or Islam). There are no archaeological remains of temples in the Indianized states of Java prior to the end of the 7th century as the early Hindu structures were built of wood and have long since decayed in the moist tropic climate. The first stone temples, Shiva shrines constructed during the 8th century, are found high on the Dieng plateau, the name Dieng meaning 'the place of the gods'. The greatest concentration of Javanese sacred architecture, however, lies on the plain of Kedu, some 42 kilometers north-west of the present city of Yogyakarta. Here stands the beautiful Hindu temple complex of Prambanam and the world famous Hindu/Buddhist temple of Borobudur.

Borobudur, a name deriving from an expression meaning 'Mountain of accumulation of merits of the ten states of Bodhisattva' is commonly thought of as a Buddhist structure, yet its initial construction was planned and conducted by Hindu builders sometime around 775 AD. The enormous first and second terraces were completed by a declining Hindu dynasty, construction was then halted for some years, and later, from 790 to 835 AD, the Buddhist Sailendra dynasty continued and finally completed the great stupa. The huge stone mass might have then been permanently abandoned, for it was difficult to adapt to the needs of Buddhism. However, leaving in evidence such an obvious manifestation of Hinduism was probably not deemed politically correct and thus the unfinished Shiva temple was transformed into the world's largest Buddhist stupa. After 832 AD the Hindu dynasty of Sanjaya began to reunify central Java and soon reappropriated the Buddhist monuments built by the Sailendra. Although the Sanjaya were themselves Hindu, they ruled over a Buddhist majority and thus, while some Hindu modifications and ornamentations were done on Borobudur, the stupa remained a place of Buddhist use. During the 10th and 11th centuries there was a transfer of power from central Java to the east, and the great stupa fell into decline. For centuries the site lay forgotten, buried under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth. In 1815 Europeans cleared the site, in the early 1900's the Dutch began its restoration, and a US$21 million project begun in 1973 completed the work.

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