Prambanan

Prambanan (Indonesian: Candi Prambanan, Javanese: Rara Jonggrang, Hanacaraka: ꦫꦫꦗꦺꦴꦁꦒꦿꦁ) is a beautiful 9th-century Hindu temple in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, on the island of Java in Indonesia. It was built to honor the Trimūrti, which represents God in three forms: the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu), and the Destroyer (Shiva).

Located about 17 kilometers northeast of Yogyakarta, Prambanan sits on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces. This temple is very special because it is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and the second-largest in all of Southeast Asia, just after Angkor Wat.

With its tall, pointed towers and a central building that rises 47 meters high, Prambanan shows the amazing skills of ancient Javanese builders. Originally, the temple had around 240 structures, making it a wonderful example of Indonesia’s classical art and architecture. Today, people from all over the world visit Prambanan, and it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its importance.

History

Construction

Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple in ancient Java. The first temple was built in the mid-9th century by Rakai Pikatan and later expanded by King Lokapala. Some historians think the temple was built as a reply to nearby Buddhist temples by the Hindu Sanjaya dynasty.

A temple was first built around 850 CE by Rakai Pikatan and expanded by King Lokapala and Balitung Maha Sambu. The temple was built to honor Lord Shiva and was originally called Shiva-grha (the House of Shiva).

The temple was linked to the Shivagrha inscription from 856 CE. The temple was built to change the course of a river for safety.

Some archaeologists think a statue in the main temple looked like King Balitung. The temple grew with more smaller temples added by later kings. It was the royal temple of the Mataram Kingdom, where important ceremonies were held.

Abandonment

The temples were left around the middle of the 10th century. The Javanese court moved to East Java by Mpu Sindok, possibly because of a big eruption of Mount Merapi volcano. The temples fell apart after a big earthquake in the 16th century. Local stories grew up about the ruins.

Rediscovery

In 1733, a worker for the VOC reported on Prambanan. After Java was split in 1755, the temple and a river marked the border between Yogyakarta and Surakarta. In the early 1800s, a Dutch governor visited and began efforts to clear and study the temple.

Reconstruction

In 1918, the Dutch started rebuilding the temple, but real restoration began in 1930. After pauses for World War II and the Indonesian Revolution, work continued. The main Shiva temple was finished in 1953. More temples were restored in later years, but many smaller temples are still being worked on.

The Indonesian government kept rebuilding the temple. By 1993, the main temples were finished. Since then, work has focused on smaller temples, with only a few fully restored so far.

In the 1990s, a market near the temple was removed, and the area was made into a park. Prambanan is now a major tourist spot and a place for traditional Javanese dance performances.

Contemporary events

Since the 1990s, Prambanan has become important for Hindu ceremonies again.

The temple was damaged in the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, but it was repaired and reopened. In 2014, it closed because of volcanic ash but reopened later. In 2019, a special ceremony was held to cleanse and consecrate the temple.

The Siwaratri celebration is an important yearly event at Prambanan. In 2026, it began on 17 January and included dances, chanting, and other activities to honor Lord Shiva.

The temple compound

Originally, there were 240 temples at Prambanan. The Prambanan Temple Compound includes:

• 3 main temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma
• 3 temples in front of the main temples dedicated to the vehicles of the gods: Nandi, Garuda, and Hamsa
• 2 Apit temples between the rows of main and vehicle temples
• 4 Kelir temples near the main gates
• 4 Patok temples at the corners of the inner area
• 224 smaller temples arranged in four rows

The Prambanan complex is also called Rara Jonggrang, named after a popular legend. Today, only some of the original temples have been rebuilt, while many others are just scattered stones. The temple has three areas: an outer area, a middle area with many small temples, and a holy inner area with eight main temples and eight small shrines.

The temple follows a square design with three walled areas. The outer area has a large rectangular wall, but most of it has not survived. The middle area once held many small temples, and the inner area is the most sacred part with eight main temples.

The inner area is a square platform with a stone wall and gates on each side. It holds eight main temples. The three largest temples are for Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper, and Shiva the Destroyer.

The Shiva temple is the tallest, measuring 47 metres high and 34 metres wide. It has stairs on the east side and walls with carvings from the Ramayana story. Inside, there is a large statue of Shiva and smaller statues of other gods.

The Brahma and Vishnu temples are also important. Both are 33 metres tall and 20 metres wide, each holding a statue of their god.

The three temples in front of the main ones are for the vehicles of the gods: Nandi the bull for Shiva, Hamsa the swan for Brahma, and Garuda the kite for Vishnu.

Between the main temples are two Apit temples, named for their position flanking the inner area. Their purpose is not fully known, but one may have been for Sarasvati and the other for Lakshmi.

There are also eight smaller shrines: four Kelir temples near the gates and four Patok temples at the corners of the inner area.

The middle area has four rows of 224 small temples, called pervara temples. Most are in ruins, but some have been rebuilt. These temples were likely built by local leaders as a sign of respect to the king. They were arranged in rows around the main temples.

Architecture

The Prambanan temple follows the traditions of Hindu architecture based on Vastu Shastra. It has a special mandala layout and tall spires, typical of Hindu temples. It was built to honor the god Shiva. The temple was meant to look like Meru, the sacred mountain home of the Hindu gods. It shows the Hindu universe as described in Hindu cosmology and the layers of Loka.

Like Borobudur, Prambanan has three important zones. The outer part is for everyday people, the middle part is for those learning truth, and the inner part is the most sacred space for the gods. The roofs of the temples are decorated with special shapes called ratna, which look like diamonds and are the highest points of the temple.

Reliefs

Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana

The temple has special carvings that tell stories from two important Hindu books: the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana. These carvings are on the walls around the three main temples.

You can follow the story by starting at the east entrance and moving around the temple in a clockwise direction. The story of the Ramayana begins at the Shiva temple and continues to the Brahma temple. At the Vishnu temple, the carvings show stories about Lord Krishna from the Bhagavata Purana.

The Ramayana carvings show how Sita, the wife of Rama, is taken away by Ravana. The monkey king Hanuman brings his army to help Rama rescue Sita.

Lokapalas, Brahmins and Devatas

On the other side of the story carvings, the temple walls have statues and pictures of holy people and guardians. In the Shiva temple, there are figures called lokapalas, who protect different directions. The Brahma temple has carvings of wise brahmin sages. In the Vishnu temple, there are pictures of male holy beings called devatas, with beautiful dancer-like figures called apsaras next to them.

Prambanan panel: Lion and Kalpataru

The lower outside walls of the temples have small spaces with images of lions. Next to these lions are carvings of special trees called kalpataru, which are believed to grant wishes. These trees are shown with creatures like birds, deer, monkeys, horses, and elephants on either side. This pattern of a lion with kalpataru trees is a special design found throughout the Prambanan temple area.

The Rara Jonggrang legend

Main article: Rara Jonggrang

The legend of Rara Jonggrang connects the Prambanan temple with the nearby Ratu Boko Palace, the Durga statue, and the Sewu temple. The story is about Prince Bandung Bondowoso and Princess Rara Jonggrang, the daughter of King Boko. The princess refused to marry the prince because he had defeated her father.

The prince wanted to marry her very much. He said she could only marry him if he built a thousand temples in one night. With help from spirits, he almost finished. But the princess tricked him. She woke her maids to make noise and light a fire, making it seem like morning. The spirits thought night was over and went back to the earth.

The prince was very angry at the trick. He turned the princess to stone. She became the last and most beautiful statue. The unfinished temple is said to be Sewu, and the princess's stone image is the Durga statue in the Shiva temple at Prambanan, called Rara Jonggrang or "Slender Maiden".

Access

The Prambanan temple is easy to reach. It is near the Yogyakarta–Solo highway. This road runs from Yogyakarta to Surakarta in Central Java. The highway is part of Indonesian National Route 15, which goes to Surabaya in East Java.

The temple is close to Prambanan bus terminal, where the K3S line of Trans Jogja ends. About 750 meters away is Brambanan Station in Klaten Regency. This station is served by KAI Commuter’s Yogyakarta Line.

Other temples around Prambanan

The Prambanan Plain lies between the southern slopes of Merapi volcano and the Sewu mountain range, near the border between Yogyakarta and Klaten Regency, Central Java. Besides the Lara Jonggrang temple, this area has some of the earliest Buddhist temples in Indonesia. Nearby, you can find ruins such as Bubrah, Lumbung, and Sewu temples to the north, Plaosan temple to the east, and Kalasan and Sari temples to the west. Further south, the Ratu Boko compound is on higher ground. These discoveries show that this region was once an important religious and political center.

North of the Lara Jonggrang complex

• Lumbung – A Buddhist-style temple with one main building and 16 smaller ones.
• Bubrah – A Buddhist temple rebuilt between 2011 and 2017.
• Sewu – An older Buddhist temple complex with a main sanctuary and many smaller temples.
• Morangan – A Hindu temple hidden under volcanic ash, located northwest of Prambanan.
• Plaosan – A Buddhist temple from the 9th century, likely built by a Hindu king for his Buddhist queen, featuring beautiful carvings of Boddhisatva and Tara, along with rows of slender stupas.

South of the Lara Jonggrang complex

• Ratu Boko – A group of gates, pools, and stone walls on a hilltop.
• Sajiwan – A Buddhist temple with carvings about education and animal stories.
• Banyunibo – A Buddhist temple with a special roof design.
• Barong – A Hindu temple with a large stone courtyard on a hillside.
• Ijo – A group of Hindu temples near the top of Ijo hill.
• Arca Bugisan – Seven statues of Buddha and bodhisattva showing different poses and expressions.

West of the Lara Jonggrang complex

• Kalasan – An 8th-century Buddhist temple dedicated to Tara, decorated with detailed carvings.
• Sari – A place for Buddhist priests from the 8th century, with nine stupas and rooms for meditation.
• Sambisari – A 9th-century Hindu temple found in 1966, buried deep under ash.
• Gebang – A small Hindu temple found in 1937, showing a statue of Ganesha and interesting carvings on the roof.
• Gana – A temple ruin with many carvings, including gana dwarfs, located in a housing area and under restoration.
• Kedulan – A Hindu temple found in 1994 by sand diggers, with a style similar to nearby Sambisari temple.