Located on the island of Java in Indonesia, the magnificent Borobudur temple is the world’s biggest Buddhist monument, an ancient site that features intricate architecture, extensive relief panels, and stupas which are dome-shaped structures traditionally used as a Buddhist religious monument or shrine.
The temple sits majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields, Mount Merapi and distant hills. If you are visiting Indonesia, this must be on your ‘To Visit’ list.
Borobudur temple’s management has set a target of attracting 1.7 million tourists in 2025. About 1.3 million tourists visited the temple in 2024.
International tourists accounted for 200,000 of the visitors to the temple, which has been designated as one of Indonesia’s super-priority tourism destinations. Looking at these numbers, this landmark is under-visited and that also means it is not over-run with tourists like in Bali. That is great for visitors like me who prefer tranquillity and the site oozes with peaceful spirituality.
Jogjakarta – the gateway to Borobudur
The gateway city to Borobudur is Jogjakarta which is also where the airport is. It is an hour and 15 minute-flight away from Jakarta. There are also direct flights from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as well as from more than domestic destinations including Bali.
Jogjakarta or affectionately known as Jogja is a city that is rich in cultural heritage. Travellers can visit its other attractions such as Prambanan Temples which is also an UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia.
The city’s other famous attractions include Kraton Jogjakarta, the Sultan’s Palace, the streets of Malioboro which are filled with traditional markets, batik shops, and street food delights. Other attractions include the Taman Sari Water Castle, once a royal bathing complex.
History of Borobudur
Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Shailendra dynasty, the monument was erected in the Mandala style as a place of Buddhist worship and pilgrimage. Its massive and numerous stone reliefs depict teachings for people to distance themselves from worldly desires and to pursue enlightenment and wisdom according to Buddhist teachings.
The temple was discovered in 1814 buried under volcanic ash, by the British forces in 1814 under the leadership of Sir Stamford Raffles who also founded Singapore in 1819. In the 1970’s, the Indonesian Government and UNESCO worked together to restore Borobudur to its former majesty. The restoration took eight years to complete and today Borobudur is one of Indonesia and the world’s most valuable treasures.
The site was also a significant location for observing solar eclipses, particularly a notable total solar eclipse on 11 June, 1983 where scientists, astronomers and tourists as well as locals, descended upon the site to witness this phenomenon that was predicted centuries ago to occur at this location. That is pretty amazing.
The uniqueness of the structure
The structure is square with four entrances and a central point that is circular. It covers an enormous area, measuring 123 x 123 meters. The best way to explore this site is on foot. Guides and rides on small horse carts are available for a small fee in addition to the entrance fee.
As you climb to the top of this magnificent temple you will marvel at the intricate detailed stone carvings displayed on the temples walls which are decorated with over 2,500 relief panels depicting Buddhist teachings.
There used to be hundreds of Buddha statues but less than 100 statues still stand today. They are well-preserved and remain sitting erect and impassive in their stupas, forming a nine-level hill.
The architecture and stonework of this temple is a marvel of design as it was built without using any kind of cement or mortar! The structure is like a set of massive interlocking Lego blocks held together without any glue.
Borobudur and Angkor Wat
Some people confuse Borobudur with Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia originally built as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and later converted to Buddhism. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are extremely significant historical landmarks. Both offer breath-taking sunrise views for tourists who get up early to travel to the sites to wait for these dramatic moments.
Photos courtesy of Blair Nguyen.
