Borobudur

Borobudur is a Mahayan Buddhist temple complex located near the modern city of Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The huge monument, a popular place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, comprises six square platforms, topped by three circular platforms, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. It is estimated to have been erected over a 75-year period, ending somewhere around 800 AD during the time of the Sailendra Dynasty of Java, under the leader Samaratungga. Its architect, Gundaharma, is a largely mythical character, thus his efficacy remains uncertain. The monument remained a popular place of worship for the island's Buddhist population - even under Hindu rule. Yet a number of volcanic eruptions around 1000 AD, and the shifting of power to East Java, meant Borobudur's prominence waned. And many historians believe the island's change of religion to Islam around the fifteenth century meant that the site became derelict.

The Anglo-Dutch Java War of 1810-1811 led to British rule over the island from 1811-1816. Its governor, Thomas Stamford Raffles, was fascinated by Javan history and artefacts, and paved the way for Borobudur's restoration when he discovered its site in the jungle in 1814. A Dutch engineer, H.C. Cornelius, then led an excavation which discovered the monument later the same year. A restoration was carried out between 1907 and 1911 - yet it was not until 1975 that Borobudur was restored back to its full former glory, after an Indonesian government project. To this day it remains one of the country's most popular sights; with festivals of dance and music as well as religious event garnering many visitors.

Borobudur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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