1 Legend of Prambanan Temple

The word "temple" refers to a variety of forms and functions of buildings Prambanan Temple Hinduism, including four of worship, religious teaching center, a place to store the ashes of the kings, a shrine or deity dwells, petirtaan (baths) and the gate. Although a variety of functions, the general function of the temple can not be separated from religious activities, especially Hinduism and Buddhism, in the past. Therefore, the development history of the temple is closely associated with the history of empires and the development of Hinduism and Buddhism in Indonesia, since the 5th century until the 14th century.

Because Legend of Prambanan Temple Hinduism and Buddhism came from India states, the temple got a lot of Indian influence in its various aspects, such as: engineering, architectural style, decorations, and so forth. Nevertheless, the influence of local culture and natural conditions are very strong, so the temple architecture of Indonesia has its own character, both in the use of materials, construction techniques and decoration style. The temple walls are commonly adorned with reliefs of a specific story or religious teachings.

Legend of Prambanan Temple mentioned in the book that forms a basic knowledge of the art of temple building the gate, the building is located at the entrance to or exit from a place, area, or region. The gate itself could serve as a guide or as a border doorway located on the boundary wall of a certain complex of buildings. The gate has an important function in a complex of buildings, so that the gate is also  majesty of the buildings that limitation. The second difference lies in the office building. The temple has a closed room, while the gate is a room in the hallway that serves as a way out.

  
Legend of Prambanan Temple

Some religious books in India, for example Prakasa Manasara and Sipa, contains arch-making rules were firmly held by the artists of buildings in India. The artists at one time believed that the provisions contained in the religious books are sacred and magical. They believe that creating a correct and beautiful buildings have special meaning for the author and the ruler who ordered the building. Buildings are made correctly and beautiful will bring prosperity and happiness for the people. These beliefs make the artists who will create a gateway to the preparation and planning, both religious and technical.

One of the most important part of planning is making a sketch of technically correct, because the sketch is really going to expect the building to the artist. Making a sketch of the building should be based on certain rules and requirements, related to the shape, size, and layout. If there are deviations in the manufacture of building provisions in the religious books will result in great misery for the author and the surrounding communities. That means that the provisions in the religious books can not be changed accordingly. However, a culture, including architecture, can not escape the influence of nature and local culture, as well as the influence of time. In addition, each artist has a different imagination and creativity.

Until now there are many temples found in various parts of Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra, Java, and Bali. Although most of them in ruins, but not least is still intact and even still used to carry out religious ceremonies. As a result of human culture, beauty and elegance of the temple gives an idea of ​​the greatness of the kingdoms in the past.

Hindu temples in Indonesia were built by kings during their lifetime. The statues of gods, like Vishnu, Brahma, Goddess Tara, Goddess Durga, who was placed in a temple made many as the embodiment of their ancestors. Sometimes even the history of the kings in question included in the inscription of the temple offerings. Unlike the Hindu temples, Buddhist temples were built as a form of devotion to religion and to get the reward. Buddhism is reflected in the temples in Central Java is Mahayana Buddhism, which was adopted by the Buddhists in Indonesia to date. In contrast to the Hinayana Buddhism prevailed in Myanmar and Thailand.

In this website, temples in Indonesia are grouped into: temple in Central Java and Yogyakarta, East Javanese temples temples temples in Bali and Sumatra. Although in the present Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces represent two different, but historically the two regions can be said to be under the authority of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram, a very large role in the construction of temples in the provinces. The grouping of temples in Central Java and Yogyakarta based on the current administrative area is difficult, however, based on its characteristics, the temples can be grouped in the temples in the north and the temples in the south.

The temples are located in the northern region, which were built by Sanjaya Dynasty, an Hindu temple in the form of building a simple, no-frills shelf, and built in groups but each stands alone, and no arrangement of temples. Included in this group, among them  Gedong sanga Dieng temple and temple. The temple in the southern region, which were built by Dynasty dynasty, a Buddhist temple with a beautiful form of the building and loaded with ornaments. The temple in the northern region is generally built in groups with the same pattern, which is the main temple is located in the center surrounded by a row of ancillary temples. Included in this group, among them: Candi Prambanan, Mendut, Kalasan, Sewu, and Borobudur.

The temples in East Java are generally much younger than those found in Central Java and Yogyakarta, because of the construction done under the successor kingdoms of the Hindu Mataram kingdom, such as the Kingdom Kahuripan, Singasari, Kediri and Majapahit. Basic materials, building styles, patterns and narratives reliefs of temples in East Java is very diverse, depending on the time of its construction. For example, the temples built during the kingdom Singasari generally made of andesite stone and colored by the teachings of Tantric (Hindu-Buddhist), while those built during the Majapahit Kingdom is generally made from red bricks and more colored by the teachings of Buddha. 

The temples in Bali is generally a Hindu temple and is still largely used for the implementation of religious ceremonies to this day. On the island of Sumatra there are two Buddhist temples can still be found, the Temple of North Sumatra Province Portibi and Temple Barelang in Riau Province.

Some temples in Indonesia was found and restored at the beginning of the 20th century. On June 14, 1913, the Dutch colonial government established a body called the archaeological Oudheidkundige Dienst (abbreviated as OD), so the handling of the temples in Indonesia became more intense. This web site is planned to include a description of all existing temples in Indonesia, but currently not all be covered temples.