Borobudur Temple

Borobudur Temple

Situated in Borobudur District, south of Magelang in Central Java, the Borobudur Temple is recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and stands as one of the greatest monuments globally. According to Bernet Kempers, Borobudur Temple is exceptionally unique. The artist Nieuwenkamp described Borobudur as resembling "a big lotus flower bud ready to bloom" and "floating" on a lake.

Nieuwenkamp's imaginative vision was supported by N. Rangkuti in 1987, who noted that from an aerial view, Borobudur Temple appears to float. Constructed between the end of the seventh and the beginning of the eighth century A.D. by Sanmaratungga, the temple was rediscovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in a ruined and buried state. The temple underwent restoration from 1905 to 1910, with the most recent restoration occurring between 1973 and 1983.

The Borobudur Temple complex covers an area of 55,000 square meters and is built on a hill. It features a stepped-pyramid design with six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces, and a central stupa at the summit. This structure resembles a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

Originally, the temple's height was 42 meters, but after restoration, it stands at 34.5 meters with dimensions of 123 x 123 meters (15,129 square meters). The temple consists of ten levels: the first to the sixth floors are square, while the seventh to the tenth floors are circular.

As the highest symbol of Buddhism, the Borobudur stupa is a replica of the universe. The temple symbolizes the microcosm and is divided into three levels: the first level represents the human world of desire influenced by negative impulses; the middle level signifies the world where humans control their negative impulses and harness positive ones; the highest level represents the world where humans are free from physical and worldly desires. Thus, Borobudur Temple illustrates the ten levels of a Bodhisattva's life.

The fastest and most convenient way to reach Yogyakarta is by air, with flights connecting from all major cities in Indonesia. Adisutjipto International Airport (IATA: JOG, ICAO: WAHH) is the main airport serving the Yogyakarta area and is located about 46 km southeast of Borobudur Temple.