Prambanan

Candi Prambanan

Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex, built by the Mataram kingdom in the 9th century, with a 47-meter Shiva temple and Ramayana reliefs. Watching the Ramayana ballet in front of the temples at night is a classic Yogyakarta evening.

Prambanan (locally also called Loro Jonggrang, 'slender maiden') was built around 850 CE by the Mataram kingdom. It is one of Indonesia's largest and most spectacular Hindu temple complexes, and was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1991, the same year as Borobudur. The central courtyard originally held 240 temples. The main structure is three towering shrines side by side: the central tower, 47 meters high, is dedicated to Shiva, flanked by the towers of Brahma and Vishnu. Facing them are three vehicle shrines for Nandi the bull, the swan and Garuda. The towers point sharply upward and are densely carved, in sharp contrast to the solid form of Borobudur. The galleries of the Shiva and Brahma towers carry continuous reliefs of the Ramayana epic, while the Vishnu tower depicts the Krishna story. Most of the complex collapsed after an earthquake in the 16th century, and restoration began in the 1930s. The park also contains other temples such as Sewu (a large Buddhist temple complex), Lumbung and Bubrah, which you can reach by renting a bicycle or riding a small train. Entry for foreigners is about Rp 375,000. A combined ticket with Borobudur costs about USD 45, and a combined ticket with Ratu Boko costs about Rp 550,000 (including shuttle). Opening hours are 06:30 to 17:00. Evening highlight: in the dry season, May to October, the Ramayana Ballet is performed in the open-air theater every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (and around the full moon), with the temples illuminated as a backdrop. More than 200 dancers and a gamelan orchestra perform from 19:30 for about 2 hours. Tickets cost Rp 150,000 to 450,000. In the rainy season, performances move indoors to the Trimurti Theatre. Getting there: take Trans Jogja line 1A from central Yogyakarta, about 1 hour direct, or take a taxi in 30 to 40 minutes. Tips: enter at 3 p.m. to avoid the heat, spend 1.5 hours in the main courtyard, then visit Sewu temple, and have dinner in the park before the evening ballet. Notes: the interior of the main tower is sometimes closed for maintenance; the park is large with little shade, so bring water and a hat; the park provides sarongs, and shorts must be covered with one.

Prambanan

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