Borobudur Temple is one of the oldest temples in Indonesia. Its beauty and splendor had even been crowned as a wonder of the world. Until now, Borobudur Temple has always been a historical tourist destination that is hunted by local and foreign tourists. But did you know that before it was as solid as it is now, Borobudur Temple was only the ruins of old stone ruins.
Enjoying the beauty of Borobudur Temple tourism is not enough just to look at it. Borobudur holds a million mysteries and very rich memories of the past. So that your vacation to Borobudur Temple is more meaningful, please first read the information below.
When and who was the founder of Borobudur Temple built?
It took a very long time to build such a magnificent temple. The construction of the Borobudur Temple itself is estimated to take hundreds of years and was only completed during the reign of King Samaratungga around the year 825.
Borobudur Temple was built by whom? This is a bit difficult to answer because until now there has been no historical record that clearly explains who built this magnificent temple. However, if examined, at that time around the Borobudur Temple lived the Syailendra Dynasty who adhered to Buddhism, therefore Borobudur Temple was often associated with this dynasty.
However, at the same time there were also adherents of Hinduism living around the Borobudur Temple, so who built the Borobudur Temple still needs to be investigated further.
How was Borobudur Temple discovered?
The history of Borobudur Temple began to echo in 1811 when Thomas Stamford Raffles, a Dutch Governor-General heard the news of an old building buried in the ground so that it resembled a hill. The building is located near Bumisegoro Village. Then Raffles ordered a Dutch engineer named Christian Cornelius to examine it, finally the Borobudur Temple was found.
Why can Borobudur Temple be buried in the ground?
Until now it is not known for certain why the Borobudur Temple could be left by residents to be buried in the ground for centuries. So long abandoned, this temple is covered with soil and volcanic ash until it is overgrown with trees, just like a hill. Researchers estimate the cause of Borobudur Temple being abandoned by the community due to the eruption of the volcano and the shift of the population's belief from Buddhism to Islam.
The current function of Borobudur Temple
Indeed, we are more familiar with Borobudur Temple as a tourist spot, but actually, Borobudur Temple has other functions that are more sacred. Currently, Borobudur Temple serves as a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists around the world. Borobudur Temple teaches Buddhists to leave worldly desires and achieve enlightenment by becoming wise human beings.
During a pilgrimage at Borobudur Temple, Buddhists must go through the halls and stairs in the temple area. During the trip, they will also see 1,460 reliefs beautifully carved on the walls of the temple.
Well, that's the facts about the history and discovery of Borobudur Temple. So that you don't want to be curious, you'd better just see its splendor.
