Mount Merapi the mythical volcano

Mount Merapi is an active stratovolcano located 25 km north of Yogyakarta. In fact, it’s one of the most active volcanos in Indonesia and in the world as well. Due to the composition and the character of a stratovolcano, Merapi is a dangerous volcano. The volcano is part of a chain of volcanos that dominate the landscape in the north of Yogyakarta.

Yogyakarta is an important city and urban centre. The area is usually also known as the centre of the Javanese culture. Yogyakarta itself and the vicinity are located in the influential zone of many volcanoes. Merapi means in the Indonesian language “Fire Mountain”.

Mt Merapi’s eruptions are very powerful and dangerous. It is because due to the composition of the lava, ash and volcanic rock. The Mount Merapi lava field museum is a timestamp of Merapi’s eruptions.

Furthermore, the famous Buddhist temple Borobudur and the Hindu temple Prambanan locating close to Mount Merapi.  Usually, both temples were strongly affected during the eruptions of Mt Merapi. Both temples are threatened by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions frequently.

The government took measures, to prevent people don’t lose their lives during eruptions. Therefore the government established a national park around Mt Merapi. The park is open to visitors. Cars to rent for a trip are available in many places.

The area is almost equal to the destroyed area from the eruption in 2010. Former local villagers furnished a nice museum. They use one of the destroyed homes from an earlier eruption. The villagers collected goods and belongings from the houses of the destroyed villages. The volcano has an important place in the Javanese myths and spirit. People believe that Merapi has a spiritual connection to Yogyakarta. However, people say there is a spiritual axis that connects the volcano Mt Merapi, Yogyakarta and the Southern Ocean with its Queen Ratu Nyi Roro Kidul.