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 site 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 off 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, showing a shift from Buddhism to Hinduism.

A temple was first built around 850 CE by Rakai Pikatan and expanded by King Lokapala and Balitung Maha Sambu. A red-paint script found on a temple finial confirms King Pikatan started the construction. 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, which described a Shiva temple that looks like Prambanan. The temple was built to change the course of a river to protect it from volcanic eruptions.

Some archaeologists think a statue of Shiva in the main temple looked like King Balitung. The temple grew with more smaller temples added by later kings. With its main tower 47 metres high, Prambanan once had 240 structures and was the tallest temple of its time. 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 or a power struggle. The temples fell apart after a big earthquake in the 16th century. Local stories grew up about the ruins, inspired by tales of giants and a cursed princess.

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. The Brahma temple was done between 1978 and 1987, and the Vishnu temple from 1982 to 1991. 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. Balinese and Javanese Hindus hold special events there.

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, marking its return as a religious site.

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 and promote the temple as a place for both spirituality and tourism.

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's design follows the traditions of Hindu architecture based on Vastu Shastra. It features a special mandala layout and tall spires, typical of Hindu temples. Originally named Shivagrha, it was built to honor the god Shiva. The temple was meant to look like Meru, the sacred mountain home of the Hindu gods, and reflects the Hindu universe as described in Hindu cosmology and the layers of Loka.

Like Borobudur, Prambanan has three important zones that go from less holy to the holiest. The outer part of the temple represents the world of everyday people, while the middle part stands for those who are starting to understand truth. The innermost part is the most sacred space, meant 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. This story is also acted out in a special performance called the Ramayana Ballet, which happens during full moons at a theatre near the temple.

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 links the Prambanan temple site with the nearby Ratu Boko Palace, the Durga statue in the main shrine, and the Sewu temple complex. The story tells of Prince Bandung Bondowoso, who loved Princess Rara Jonggrang, daughter of King Boko. The princess refused his marriage proposal because he had defeated her father and taken control of her kingdom.

Determined, the prince insisted on marrying her, and she agreed only if he could build a thousand temples in one night. With help from spirits he called from the earth, the prince nearly finished the task. But the princess tricked him by waking her maids to make noise and light a fire, making it seem like dawn. The spirits, thinking the night was over, returned to the earth. Angered by the trick, the prince turned the princess to stone. She became the last and most beautiful statue. The unfinished temple is said to be the nearby Sewu temple complex, and the princess's stone image is the Durga statue in the north cell of the Shiva temple at Prambanan, known as Rara Jonggrang or "Slender Maiden".

Access

The Prambanan temple compound is easy to reach because it is near the Yogyakarta–Solo highway. This highway runs from Yogyakarta in the west to Surakarta in Central Java in the east. The highway is south of the temple and is part of Indonesian National Route 15, which continues to Surabaya in East Java.

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

Other temples around Prambanan

The Prambanan Plain stretches between the southern slopes of Merapi volcano and the Sewu mountain range, close to the border between Yogyakarta and Klaten Regency, Central Java. Besides the Lara Jonggrang temple, this area is home to some of the earliest Buddhist temples in Indonesia. Nearby, you can find ruins like 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 sits 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, including a large lingam and yoni.
• 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, featuring a linga and yoni, and walls with images of gods.
• 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.