BOROBUDUR

The world’s treasure in the island of Java, Indonesia

Borobudur Temple is a very famous archaelogical building, not only among Buddhists but also around the world. Borobudur Temple was built by Syailendra Dynasty in the 8th century. Not much is known about how it started, but clearly, it involved workers in huge number to carve out 60,000 cubic meters of volcanic rock. On Borobudur Temple walls, reliefs were carved which contain the teachings of Buddha throughout 6 km! It is hailed as the largest Buddha reliefs ensemble and the most complete in the world, incomparable in artistic value, each scene is a complete masterpiece (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/592).
In addition to the teachings of Buddha, Borobudur reliefs also recorded the progress of Javanese society at that time. One of the reliefs illustrates the form a ship used by the sailors from Java to sail to the continent of Africa in the 8th century, long before the Portuguese sailors did. On the initiative of Philip Beale from the UK in 2003, the reconstruction was conducted to build a replica of the ship based on the relief which was then used sail along the cinnamon route from Java to the continent of Africa. Now the ship is known as Borobudur Ship and stored in the museum of Kapal Samudraraksa which is located in Borobudur Temple complex.
Close to Borobudur Temple, there are two other temples, which are Mendut Temple and Pawon Temple. Those three temples were built in the same period and located in one straight line. Mendut Temple is famous for having a large Buddha statue and reliefs that contain animal story or fable. Pawon Temple lies between Mendut Temple and Borobudur Temple.