BOROBUDUR TEMPLE

     Borobudur is a Buddhist temple located at Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The location of the temple is approximately 100 km southwest of Semarang, 86 km to the west of Surakarta, and 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta. Stupa shaped temple was founded by the Mahayana Buddhists around the year 800 AD during the reign of the Sailendra dynasty. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple or shrine in the world,and one of the largest Buddhist monument in the world.

     This monument consists of six square terraces on which there are three circular courtyard, the walls are decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues are original.Borobudur has the most complete collection of Buddhist reliefs in the world.The main stupa in the middle teletak once crowned this building, surrounded by three rows of circular 72 perforated stupas in which there is a statue of Buddha sitting cross-legged in the lotus position perfectly with mudra (hand gesture) Dharmachakra mudra (turning the wheel of dharma).

      This monument is a model of the universe and was built as a shrine to honor Buddha also functions as a place of pilgrimage to lead mankind to switch from natural lust to enlightenment and wisdom according to the teachings of Buddha.The pilgrims enter through the east side start the ritual in the temple grounds with walking this sacred building circling clockwise, while continuing to ascend to the next steps through the three levels of the realm in Buddhist cosmology. These three levels it is Kamadhatu (the realm of lust), Rupadhatu (the realm of intangibles), and Arupadhatu (the realm of the intangible). In this journey the pilgrim goes through a series of hallways and staircases with no less than 1,460 witnessed the beautiful relief panels carved on the walls and balustrades.

      According to historical evidence, Borobudur was abandoned in the 14th century as the weakening of the influence of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms in Java as well as begin the influence of Islam.The world began to realize the existence of this building since it was discovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who was then serving as the British Governor General of Java. Since then Borobudur has suffered a series of rescue and restoration efforts. The restoration project was held in the period 1975 to 1982 for the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and UNESCO, and the historical sites included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

     Borobudur is still used as a place of religious pilgrimage; Annual Buddhists who come from all over Indonesia and abroad gather at Borobudur to celebrate Vesak Trisuci. In the world of tourism, attractions Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited by tourists.