Borobudur Temple, The Biggest Buddhist Temple In The World

Borobudur Temple is the biggest Buddhist temple in the world. It is located in Magelang Indonesia not too far from Yogyakarta, the city of tourism. The temple is very famous because of its beauty and uniqueness. Being known as the biggest temple even in the world currently. It is predicted that the original size was much larger than that. As information, Borobudur Temple that stands up nowadays is only a part of the original temple that has been successfully discovered and rebuilt. Sure, it means that the original one is huge.

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The History of Borobudur Temple

There is no clear report that mentions explicitly who built the temple was. But after decoding some codes on ancient inscriptions, historians concluded that the temple was built during the Syailendra Dynasty under the command of King Samaratungga from Mataram. Meanwhile, it is known also that the temple’s architect was Gunadarma. It takes around 100 years to finish the establishment of the temple. So far, the main purpose of the establishment was for facilitating Buddhists in praying.

Before being discovered, the temple was buried and destroyed. The excavation process also spent so many years. In 1991, UNESCO from the UN stated Borobudur as one of the world’s heritage. Until now, the temple is claimed as one of the smartest products from ancient times that need to keep and protect.

Structures of Borobudur Temple

Historians and experts predict the Borobudur Temple was arranged and built using andesite stones. The structure is namely Punden with stairs that are getting smaller on each side of the temple which was made by adjusting points of the compass. The temple’s structure consists of 9 terraces. They include 6 square terraces and 3 circular terraces.  Between 2 terraces, there is a floor called a plateau.  The total area of Borobudur Temple is 121.66 meters long, 121.38 meters wide, and 35.40 meters high.

Borobudur Temple in Buddhist Philosophy

Buddhist is a religion and belief with rich philosophies. It is reasonable if the establishment of Borobudur must be based on those philosophies as well. According to them, Borobudur Temple is an imitation of the universe which consists of three vertical levels, namely Kamadhatu, Rupadhatu, and Arupadhatu.

Kamadhatu is the lowest part of the temple which symbolizes the underworld. It depicts human behavior that is still bound by worldly desires. Next, there is Rupadhatu, the middle part of the temple. It symbolizes the “intermediate” world, depicting human behavior that intends and starts to leave worldly desires, but is still bound with them. Lastly, Arupadhatu is the top of the temple which symbolizes the upper realm. It is the place where Gods are living.  Besides, Arupadhatu is also a symbol of the hereafter and a symbol of people who have successfully left worldly desires.

Borobudur Temple as a Famous Tourist Attraction

While the temple is still used for praying by Buddhists every Waisak Day until now, it is also a famous tourist attraction in Indonesia. Around 2 million visitors come to the temple manually to enjoy the grand temple. Moreover, the landscape around is scenic as well, making you just want to stay there even longer. The tourists are not only from Indonesia but also foreigners are coming to learn more about the temple.

Interestingly, many facilities have been provided there. Access to get Borobudur Temple is relatively easy whether from the center of Magelang, Yogyakarta, and other towns around. During the Covid19 pandemic, the number of visitors is indeed decreased. But it doesn’t reduce the fact that the temple is really attractive and enjoyable for many people. So, are you interested to visit Borobudur Temple when the pandemic is over?