Prambanan temple, Yogyakarta © Reinhard Kuchenbaecker

PRAMBANAN temple

The Prambanan temple is a masterpiece of Hindu architecture and is one of the most beautiful temples in Southeast Asia. The wealth of sculptural detail on the great Shiva temple makes it an outstanding example of Hindu art. The complex of the central temple originally consisted of not less than 232 temples. There are three main temples rising above the centre of a concentric squares, each temple is decorated with reliefs illustrating the epic of the Ramayana, and is dedicated to one of the three great Hindu divinities, Shiva the destroyer, Vishnu the preserver and Brahma the creator.

Prambanan was built around the year 850, under either Rakai Pikatan, a king of Mataram, or under Balit Maha Sambu during the Sanjaya Dynasty. The main temples collapsed during a earthquake in the 16th century and the huge complex lie largely forgotten in the jungle. In 1811, a British surveyor discovered the ruins of Prambanan by pure chance. Proper restoration began only in 1930 and still continues today. The plant is one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia. It was recognized in 1991 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. For those who travel on the island of Java, this attraction is a must to visit. Especially as Yogyakarta offers many other tour opportunities and attractions inside and outside the city, as well as a huge number of very compfortable hotels.

Evening at Prambanan Temple © yuliang11
Pramanan Ruins © Reinhard Kuchenbaecker
Prambanan temple, Yogyakarta © Reinhard Kuchenbacker
Prambanan dancer © Reinhard Kuchenbaecker
Ramayana ballet © Endang Lestari

Sights to see in Prambanan

The main site of Prambanan temple is inside a large, landscaped park. The complex is open daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Tour guides can be hired at the ticket office for Rp. 50,000 and as this is a complex monument, a guide is a very good idea.
The Prambanan museum is located at the temple's site, North of Candi Lara Jonggrang. The museum is laid out in a series of small houses that are connected by walkways. Explanations are minimal, but entry is free.
An open-air theatre inside the park has ballet performances of the great Hindu epic Ramayana on four nights during the full moon between May and October. This performance, set against the lit back drop of Prambanan, is quite spell-binding. Ask at local tour operators or at your hotel for tickets and times.

Getting there

You can travel to the Prambanan temple site via the road from Yogyakarta to Solo, about 17km from Yogyakarta. Travellers reach Prambanan by bus from Yogyakarta in 30 minutes (Rp. 7,000) and from Solo in 1.5 hours. As Pramanan is usually visited via Yogyakarta, many tour operators in Yogyakarta offer one day trips to Prambanan.

Hotel & Accomodation in Prambanan

Budget

Losmen Setia Kawan, Yogyakarta

Sosrowijayan Wetan GT I/58A, Yogyakarta
Phone: +62 274 512 452
Website: www.bedhots.com
Book directly at the website. A tour program and batik courses are also available.

Tour operators & Links

Visit Yogyes for more detailed information on Prambanan temple, and for a list of tour operators.
Borobudur.tv offers a brief architectural summary of Prambanan, including many photos.
A good possibility to have your own individual tour is to book a car with a local driver, e.g. at Regina Holiday.
Great Tours Jogja also offers trips to Prambanan temple.
Check available dates of the Ramayana ballet Ramayana ballet.