Prambanan in Indonesia, Java resort
Rating: 8,8/10 (3049 votes)  Prambanan is, along with Borobudur, one of the most significant temple complexes in Indonesia. Prambanan is located in the center of Java, about 18 km from the ancient city of Yogyakarta, close to the southern slope of Merapi volcano. The history of the temple complex began in the early Middle Ages, around the 10th century, when the supreme ruler of the powerful kingdom of Matarami Rakai Picatan ordered the construction of several temples to begin, which were destined to give rise to a grandiose project. The very first religious building was of incredible size for those times and was dedicated to Shiva. It is in this temple that one of the most revered shrines is located - the statue of the goddess Lara Jonggrang, with which a huge number of legends are associated. So, according to legend, the formidable goddess once helped a poor young man, in love with the daughter of rich and noble parents, turning all the stones under his feet into gold and precious stones. However, Lara Jonggrang liked the young man so much that the goddess offered him her own heart, and after refusing in a rage turned the unfortunate man to stone. In addition to the temple of Lara Jonggrang, Prambanan includes several more buildings, but this particular structure is the best preserved Moreover, it is 47 meters high, which even today amazes the imagination of visitors, and also makes the temple the largest in Indonesia dedicated to the god Shiva. Jonggrang Temple consists of four tiers-platforms (according to assumptions, such an architectural solution corresponds to the four castes), tapering towards the top. The last platform houses three shrines dedicated to the three main gods of the Hindus: Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva. Other Prambanan temples are erected in honor of the animal servant of the deities: the bull Nandi, the bird Garuda and the goose Angsa. Also, the temples of Sari, Sevu, Plaosan and some others have survived to this day. In addition to the main temple ensemble, smaller buildings are of well-deserved interest, namely the tombs of kings, rajas and noble nobles, whose number reaches 224. К Unfortunately, the greatness of Prambanan did not come down to us in its original form. The first time the complex suffered from a strong earthquake in the 16th century, and the cataclysm of 1880 turned most of the historical buildings into ruins. The restoration of Prambanan began in the early 20th century and continued until the 50s. In 1991, the temple complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and restoration work was resumed. Interesting, that archaeological excavations are going on in Prambanan now, while more and more reports of rare artifacts found and the discovery of new buildings are received. Needless to say, Prambanan is very popular, both among Indonesians and among tourists. And if Borobudur is called the"stone book of Buddhism", then the Prambanan complex is undoubtedly a similar"book" for Hindus around the world.     
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