Located not far from the Buddhist Temple of Borobudur, the proximity of the two temples indicates that in Java, Buddhism and Hinduism coexist in peace. Prambanan is a magnificent spectacle and an icon of Indonesian cultural heritage. The temples at Prambanan were built in the 9th century and are known locally as Roro Jonggrang, derived from the legend of the 'slender virgin'.
The largest temple is dedicated to Shiva - the destroyer, and the two smaller ones sitting on the right and left are dedicated to Brahma, the creator, and Vishnhu, the preserver. The highest Prambanan Temple is 47 meters high. Its peak is visible from afar and towers above the ruins of other temples.
After hundreds of years of neglect, the Prambanan temple was rediscovered by CA Lons, a Dutchman, in 1733. Since then, this temple has been revitalized and is now widely regarded as the most beautiful and elegant Hindu temple in Indonesia. The grandeur, complexity, and integrated architectural concepts of Prambanan make this building truly stunning. As a unique cultural and architectural marvel, Prambanan was declared a World Heritage site in 1991 by UNESCO.
Prambanan visitors walk around the temple. This is the best way to enjoy the lush landscape and see the architectural details and design of the temple up close.
This temple complex covers 39.8 hectares. In the main courtyard there are three main temples, as well as three Wahana temples, two Apit temples, and eight Patok temples surrounded by a fence. On the second page, there are 224 more Perwara temples. Wandering around here and checking out the intricate stone buildings is enough to keep you busy all day!
Compared to the temples at Angkor Wat, Prambanan temple is much easier to navigate and more tourist friendly. The area around Prambanan is developed, with landscaped gardens and shops selling tourist souvenirs. While this is not a temple set in a remote rural setting, the splendor of the temple will make you quickly forget about your surroundings. You will be transported back to ancient times where rituals and culture dominated every part of life.
The city closest to Prambanan is Yogyakarta or Semarang. Garuda Indonesia, Mandala, Merpati Nusantara Airlines and a number of domestic airlines fly to these cities from Jakarta and other major cities in Indonesia. AirAsia is an airline. first international flight directly from Kuala Lumpur to Yogyakarta.
From Yogyakarta, you can rent a car to get to Klaten. From there, you can walk to the temple. If you are busy and tired of walking, you can always call a becak. It costs approx. IDR 10,000 rickshaw driver will take you directly to the temple entrance gate, not far from the ticket counter.
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