Prambanan a monumental Hindu temple

Prambanan is a monumental Hindu temple in Central Java. The temple locates around 20 km northeast of the city of Yogyakarta. The temple has also the name Candi Rara Jonggrang. However, the area is known as the centre of Javanese art and culture.

The Hindu temple Prambanan is an important highlight in the Javanese culture and history. The temple exist since the ninth century. The temple honour the Hindu divinities Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The Prambanan temple is an important milestone in Javanese ancient. The entire area considers three main temples. But in total it counts 240 temples and shrines. At about the same time the nearby Buddhist temple Borobudur had built as well.

Uncountable reliefs illustrate the Indonesian version of the epic of the Ramayana and all dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.

In the sixteenth century, the temple area was heavily damaged during an earthquake. After that, the temple was abandoned and forgotten for centuries. Later, the temple got back to attention. In the nineteenth century, encouraged by Sir Thomas Raffles major reconstruction works of the temples starts. Raffles was also the founder of the modern city-state  Singapore. The temple did not fall into oblivion. Thanks to Raffles’s effort the temple still exists today.

Even today a huge amount of temples and shrines collapsed. Anyhow, all of them waiting still for reconstruction. Like all temples around Yogyakarta, Prambanan locates in the influence zone of volcanos. The temple is threatened frequently by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Mainly affected by  Mt Merapi but other volcanos as well.

Prambanan has still significant visible damages. Some temples and shrines are dilapidated. That’s why they aren’t walkable. The maintenance works continue until today. The Hindu temple Prambanan is one of the most famous tourist spots in Java. The temple visits millions a year.