Prambanan - Central Group of Temples
Prambanan is the largest and most beautiful Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. It is the masterpiece of Hindu culture of the ninth century. Prambanan is a collection of massive Hindu temples (candi) built by the Mataram Kingdom, rulers of central Java and conquerors of the Sailendra Dynasty.
A temple was first built at the site around 850 CE by Rakai Pikatan and expanded extensively by King Lokapala and Balitung Maha Sambu the Sanjaya king of the Mataram Kingdom. It is dedicated to the Trimurti (Trinity of the formless supreme God), the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva).
The complex is laid out in the form of a mandala, and features the towering, broad spires that are typical of Hindu temple architecture, and represent Meru, the holy mountain where the gods live. Originally there were 240 temples in the complex but many of them have deteriorated or been looted leaving just scattered stones. The Prambanan temple complex consists of three zones; first the outer zone, second the middle zone that contains hundreds of small temples, and third the holiest inner zone that contains eight main temples and likewise, eight small shrines. The three main inner shrines are dedicated to Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper and Shiva the Destroyer.
Prambanan - Central Group of Temples
Prambanan is the largest and most beautiful Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. It is the masterpiece of Hindu culture of the ninth century. Prambanan is a collection of massive Hindu temples (candi) built by the Mataram Kingdom, rulers of central Java and conquerors of the Sailendra Dynasty.
A temple was first built at the site around 850 CE by Rakai Pikatan and expanded extensively by King Lokapala and Balitung Maha Sambu the Sanjaya king of the Mataram Kingdom. It is dedicated to the Trimurti (Trinity of the formless supreme God), the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva).
The complex is laid out in the form of a mandala, and features the towering, broad spires that are typical of Hindu temple architecture, and represent Meru, the holy mountain where the gods live. Originally there were 240 temples in the complex but many of them have deteriorated or been looted leaving just scattered stones. The Prambanan temple complex consists of three zones; first the outer zone, second the middle zone that contains hundreds of small temples, and third the holiest inner zone that contains eight main temples and likewise, eight small shrines. The three main inner shrines are dedicated to Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper and Shiva the Destroyer.