The Borobudur Temple is a Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.

It
was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone
with three circular platforms and, a monumental stupa.

The Borobudur Temple Compounds is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the
world. Photo Credit

Borobudur is located in an elevated area between two twin volcanoes, Sundoro-Sumbing and
Merbabu-Merapi, and two rivers, the Progo and the Elo. Photo Credit
The age of the temple is uncertain, but the date of construction is thought to have been between
the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century A. D., during the Sailendra dynasty.
 There is no written record of who built the Borobudur or of its intended purpose. Photo Credit
The temple was designed in Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesian
indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana. Built as a
single large stupa, when viewed from above the temple takes the form of a giant tantric
Buddhist mandala, simultaneously representing the Buddhist cosmology and the nature of mind.

The temple was designed in Javanese Buddhist architecture. Photo Credit

The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa. The
lowest level has 160 reliefs depicting cause and effect. On the middle level are various stories of
the Buddha’s life from the Jataka Tales. At the highest level is a balcony, square in shape with
round walls. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.
 One of the Buddha sculptures at the temple. Photo Credit
The temple complex laid hidden for centuries under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth.
The facts behind its abandonment remained a mystery.

Borobudur Temple is surrounded by mountains nearby. Photo Credit

Worldwide knowledge of the temple’s existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford
Raffles, the then British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians.
Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project
was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian government and UNESCO.

Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument. Photo Credit

After the major renovation funded by UNESCO, Borobudur is once again used as a place of
worship and pilgrimage.

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The monument is the single most visited tourist attraction in Indonesia.

Borobudur, or Barabudur (Indonesian: Candi Borobudur, Javanesetranslit. Candhi

Barabudhur) is a 9th-century MahayanaBuddhist temple in Magelang Regency, not far from the
town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indonesia. It is one of the world's largest Buddhist temples.
The temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central
dome. It is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The central dome is
surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa.[1]
Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple design
follows Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesianindigenous cult of ancestor
worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.[2] The temple demonstrates the influences
of Gupta art that reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes
and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.[3][4] The monument is
a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The pilgrim journey begins at
the base of the monument and follows a path around the monument, ascending to the top through
three levels symbolic of Buddhist cosmology: Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the
world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). The monument guides pilgrims
through an extensive system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the
walls and the balustrades. Borobudur has one of the largest and most complete ensembles of
Buddhist reliefs in the world.[2]
Evidence suggests Borobudur was constructed in the 9th century and abandoned following the
14th-century decline of Hindu kingdoms in Java and the Javanese conversion to Islam.
[5]
Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles,
then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native
Indonesians. [6] Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest
restoration project was undertaken between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian
government and UNESCO, followed by the monument's listing as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.[2]