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The Prambanan Plain was the center of the powerful Mataram Kingdom in the 10C, which vanquished the Sailendra Dynasty (see Page 1 - Java: Borobudur). The builders of Prambanan were Hindu, although it was built only slightly later than nearby Borobudur (early to mid-10C). Originally there were 232 temples on this site. The plan is focused on a central court with eight main temples; the three main structures (candis) are dedicated to the Hindu deities Vishnu, Brahma, and Siva (the largest).
Prambanan - entrance to the site. |
Prambanan - the central plaza with the candis of Vishnu and Brahma. |
Prambanan - the central plaza. |
Prambanan - the Candi of Siva. |
Prambanan - detail of stone carving. |
Prambanan - more stone carving. |
My erstwhile travel companion and "favorite" nephew Andy. |
Our friend Subri - a real party animal! |
Reni, girlfriend of Subri. |
Cockfighting - a popular pastime in this part of Java. |
The Dieng Plateau contains the oldest Hindu temples in Indonesia, and is scenic in its own right. The area was settled from the late 7C to the 13C, when nearly 200 temples were built; of these, only eight remain standing. They are some of the oldest in Java, and are linked to the Sanjaya Dynasty. Today this part of central Java reflects the overpopulation of the land - note the small terraced fields at this extreme altitude (over 3,000m - 10,000 ft). The Dieng Plateau lies roughly 130km northwest of Yogyakarta in central Java.
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The terraced fields evidence the relatively extreme overpopulation and corresponding lack of agricultural land in this part of Indonesia. |
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Two views of the principal group of candis, all of which date from the 8C. Although small, these were the inspiration for later and grander projects such as Prambanan. |
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As with most parts of Indonesia, the Dieng Plateau is also geologically active, being the site of several active hot springs and geysers. |
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Map courtesy of Mapquest. |
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