Prambanan Temple, Yogyakarta The Tallest and Largest Hindu Temple in Indonesia

Table of Contents

Footage Nusantara - Indonesia has so many temple sites scattered in various regions. As a country that has a very diverse historical background, the influx of various cultures has greatly affected the various relics of historical evidence in Indonesia itself.

The influx of foreign cultures and various religious beliefs from various immigrant groups that entered Indonesia turned out to have a major impact on the development of religion and culture. From various historical backgrounds based on these diverse religions and cultures, many historical sites in Indonesia have also been affected, one of which is the Hindu Buddha culture which has colored the development of history in Indonesia with the presence of various kinds of temples as a historical legacy of the former Hindu buddha kingdoms in the past.

One of the many historical relics in the form of temples is most commonly known to the people of Indonesia and one of the temple sites with the largest complex is Prambanan Temple located in the Sleman area, Yogyakarta Special Region Province.

Prambanan Temple or Roro Jonggrang Temple (Hanacaraka: ꦕꦤ꧀ꦝꦶꦥꦿꦩ꧀ꦧꦤꦤ꧀, Candhi Prambanan) is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia built in the 9th century AD. This temple is dedicated to Trimurti, the three main Hindu gods namely Brahma as the creator god, Wishnu as the preserver god, and Shiva as the god of destruction. Based on the Siwagrha inscription, the original name of this temple complex is Siwagrha (Sanskrit language meaning 'House of Shiva'), and indeed in the garbagriha (main room) of this temple resides a three-meter-high statue of Shiva Mahadeva which shows that in this temple the god Shiva is preferred.

The temple complex is located in Prambanan sub-district, Bokoharjo village, Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region and Prambanan sub-district, Klaten, Central Java approximately 17 kilometers northeast of Yogyakarta, 50 kilometers southwest of Surakarta and 120 kilometers south of Semaranag, exactly on the border between Central Java province and Yogyakarta Special Region.  The location is very unique, Prambanan Temple is located in the administrative area of Bokoharjo village, Prambanan, Sleman, while the entrance to the Prambanan Temple complex is located in the administrative area of Tlogo village, Prambanan, Klaten, Central Java.

The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and one of the most beautiful temples in Southeast Asia. The architecture of this building is tall and slender in Hindu architecture in general with the Shiva temple as the main temple having a height of up to 47 meters towering in the middle of a complex of smaller temples. As one of the grandest temples in Southeast Asia, Candi Prambanan attracts tourists from all over the world.

According to the Siwagrha inscription, the temple was built around 850 AD by Rakai Pikatan and continued to be developed and expanded by Balitung Maha Sambu, during the Medang Mataram kingdom.