The word 'candi' (temple) refers to buildings of various shapes and functions, such as a worshipping place, a religious teaching center, a funerary place for keeping ashes of kings, a dwelling place of the divine, a royal bathing place, or a gateway. Although temples once served many functions, they were built mostly to accommodate Buddhism or Hinduism religious activities.
The existence of temples is inseparable from the history of Javanese kingdoms and the development of Buddhism and Hinduism in Java from 7th century to 14th century. Since Buddhism and Hinduism came from India, the design of most temples adopted Indian style in many aspects, such as the constructing techniques, architectural style, and decorations. However, because of the ample influence of local culture and natural environment, the design of Indonesian temples retains its unique characteristics in the usage of building material, constructing techniques and decoration style. The temple walls are commonly adorned with relief sculpture depicting a story or religious teachings.
The Manasara book states that the design of a temple is the basis for the art of designing gates. There are two functions of a gate. Firstly, it marks the boundary of an area. Secondly, it becomes an opening through walls that enclose a building compound. As the outer part of a bigger building structure, a gate plays a significant role since it echoes the grandeur of the main building it encloses. The difference between a gate and a temple lies on the design of the interior. The cella of a temple is a chamber, while the inner part of a gate is a passage that functions as an access way.
Some old Indian religious books such as Manasara describe canonic rules, which were firmly held by Indian builders, for constructing a gate. Builders at one time believed that the rules outlined in those religious books were sacred and held a magical property. They maintained that a beautiful building correctly constructed according to such rules would benefit the builder and the ruler who ordered the construction. Such building would bring welfare and happiness to the people. This belief underlay the complex religious and technical preparation made by builders.
One of the most essential technical preparations was rendering a proper blueprint to ensure that the building to be erected fit to what the builder had expected. The blueprint had to conform to certain canonic rules and requirements that governed the shape, size, or layout of the temple. Discrepancies from the rules and requirements stated in the religious books would bring the builder and the people around the temple tremendous adversity. While the canonic rules and requirements stated in the books were almost impossible to modify, influence from local culture and natural environment was unavoidable. Moreover, every builder had their own imagination and creativity.
Temples are still a common sight in many places in Indonesia, most of which are located in Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Bali. While most of the temples have fallen into ruin, some still survive and even retain their function as a worshipping place. A temple, as a product of a culture, reflects the golden age of kingdoms in the past.
Most of Hindu temples in Indonesia were built by kings during their lifetime. The statues of gods and goddesses, such as Vishnu, Brahma, Tara and Durga, which were placed inside a temple, were manifestation of their ancestors. A sculptured stone was placed at the temple to mark the king’s devotion. Sometimes a short account of the life of king who ordered the construction of the temple was carved onto the stone. Unlike Hindu temples, most Buddhist temples were built to highlight the king’s religious devotion and to ask for blessings. Buddhist temples in Indonesia preserve the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, to which the present Indonesian Buddhists belong, while Buddhists in Myanmar and Thailand are Hinayanists.
In this website, temples in Indonesian are classified into: temples located in Central Java and Yogyakarta, temples located in East Java, temples in Bali, and temples located in Sumatra. Although presently Central Java and Yogyakarta are two different provinces under two separate provincial administrations, the regions are historically connected since they were once under the control of Hindu Mataram Kingdom. The then mighty kingdom played a pivotal role in the construction of temples in both regions. It is difficult to classify temples in both regions into temples typical of Central Java and Yogyakarta. However, there are characteristics by which the northern temples are different from the southern temples. The northern temples, mostly constructed under the command of Sanjaya Dynasty, are Hindu temples with modest design. The platforms of these temples are simple without ornaments. The temples are usually laid out in clusters, with each cluster showing no specific arrangement of temples. Dieng Temple and Gedongsanga Temple fall into this category. Meanwhile, the southern temples, built under Syailendra Dynasty’s sovereignty, are Buddhist temples, characterized by the beautiful construction and ornaments. These temples sit in clusters, and each cluster retains an identical arrangement of temples, in which the main temple is always in the middle of the compound, amidst ancillary temples. Prambanan, Mendut, Kalasan, Sewu (Thousand), and Borobudur fall into this category of temples.
Most temples located in East Java were built later than temples in Central Java and Yogyakarta, since the former were constructed by kingdoms such as Kahuripan, Singasari, Kediri, and Majapahit, which were the successors of Mataram Hindu Kingdom when its era was over. The period in which an East Javanese temple was built determined the building material, design, style and narratives depicted in the relief sculpture. Temples built on Singasari Kingdom’s instructions, for example, were made of blocks of andesite and decorated with fragments of Tantrayana (Hindu-Buddhist) teachings, whereas most temples built during the sovereignty of Majapahit Empire were made of bricks and decorated mostly with Buddhist teachings.
Most Balinese temples are Hindu shrines, and they still serve as a worshipping place to the present day. There are two temples located in Sumatra Island, Portibi Temple in North Sumatra Province and Muara Takus Temple in Riau Province.
Some temples in Indonesia were discovered and restored at the dawn of 20th century. On June 14, 1913 the Dutch colonial administration founded an agency for preserving ancient heritages, which was called Oudheidkundige Dienst (abbreviated as OD). Since then, the efforts to preserve temples intensified.
Until now there are many temples in Java that still has not been found. Everything is still buried underground both small temples or temples larger than Borobudur. everything is still a mystery.
The existence of temples is inseparable from the history of Javanese kingdoms and the development of Buddhism and Hinduism in Java from 7th century to 14th century. Since Buddhism and Hinduism came from India, the design of most temples adopted Indian style in many aspects, such as the constructing techniques, architectural style, and decorations. However, because of the ample influence of local culture and natural environment, the design of Indonesian temples retains its unique characteristics in the usage of building material, constructing techniques and decoration style. The temple walls are commonly adorned with relief sculpture depicting a story or religious teachings.
The Manasara book states that the design of a temple is the basis for the art of designing gates. There are two functions of a gate. Firstly, it marks the boundary of an area. Secondly, it becomes an opening through walls that enclose a building compound. As the outer part of a bigger building structure, a gate plays a significant role since it echoes the grandeur of the main building it encloses. The difference between a gate and a temple lies on the design of the interior. The cella of a temple is a chamber, while the inner part of a gate is a passage that functions as an access way.
Some old Indian religious books such as Manasara describe canonic rules, which were firmly held by Indian builders, for constructing a gate. Builders at one time believed that the rules outlined in those religious books were sacred and held a magical property. They maintained that a beautiful building correctly constructed according to such rules would benefit the builder and the ruler who ordered the construction. Such building would bring welfare and happiness to the people. This belief underlay the complex religious and technical preparation made by builders.
One of the most essential technical preparations was rendering a proper blueprint to ensure that the building to be erected fit to what the builder had expected. The blueprint had to conform to certain canonic rules and requirements that governed the shape, size, or layout of the temple. Discrepancies from the rules and requirements stated in the religious books would bring the builder and the people around the temple tremendous adversity. While the canonic rules and requirements stated in the books were almost impossible to modify, influence from local culture and natural environment was unavoidable. Moreover, every builder had their own imagination and creativity.
Temples are still a common sight in many places in Indonesia, most of which are located in Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Bali. While most of the temples have fallen into ruin, some still survive and even retain their function as a worshipping place. A temple, as a product of a culture, reflects the golden age of kingdoms in the past.
Most of Hindu temples in Indonesia were built by kings during their lifetime. The statues of gods and goddesses, such as Vishnu, Brahma, Tara and Durga, which were placed inside a temple, were manifestation of their ancestors. A sculptured stone was placed at the temple to mark the king’s devotion. Sometimes a short account of the life of king who ordered the construction of the temple was carved onto the stone. Unlike Hindu temples, most Buddhist temples were built to highlight the king’s religious devotion and to ask for blessings. Buddhist temples in Indonesia preserve the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, to which the present Indonesian Buddhists belong, while Buddhists in Myanmar and Thailand are Hinayanists.
In this website, temples in Indonesian are classified into: temples located in Central Java and Yogyakarta, temples located in East Java, temples in Bali, and temples located in Sumatra. Although presently Central Java and Yogyakarta are two different provinces under two separate provincial administrations, the regions are historically connected since they were once under the control of Hindu Mataram Kingdom. The then mighty kingdom played a pivotal role in the construction of temples in both regions. It is difficult to classify temples in both regions into temples typical of Central Java and Yogyakarta. However, there are characteristics by which the northern temples are different from the southern temples. The northern temples, mostly constructed under the command of Sanjaya Dynasty, are Hindu temples with modest design. The platforms of these temples are simple without ornaments. The temples are usually laid out in clusters, with each cluster showing no specific arrangement of temples. Dieng Temple and Gedongsanga Temple fall into this category. Meanwhile, the southern temples, built under Syailendra Dynasty’s sovereignty, are Buddhist temples, characterized by the beautiful construction and ornaments. These temples sit in clusters, and each cluster retains an identical arrangement of temples, in which the main temple is always in the middle of the compound, amidst ancillary temples. Prambanan, Mendut, Kalasan, Sewu (Thousand), and Borobudur fall into this category of temples.
Most temples located in East Java were built later than temples in Central Java and Yogyakarta, since the former were constructed by kingdoms such as Kahuripan, Singasari, Kediri, and Majapahit, which were the successors of Mataram Hindu Kingdom when its era was over. The period in which an East Javanese temple was built determined the building material, design, style and narratives depicted in the relief sculpture. Temples built on Singasari Kingdom’s instructions, for example, were made of blocks of andesite and decorated with fragments of Tantrayana (Hindu-Buddhist) teachings, whereas most temples built during the sovereignty of Majapahit Empire were made of bricks and decorated mostly with Buddhist teachings.
Most Balinese temples are Hindu shrines, and they still serve as a worshipping place to the present day. There are two temples located in Sumatra Island, Portibi Temple in North Sumatra Province and Muara Takus Temple in Riau Province.
Some temples in Indonesia were discovered and restored at the dawn of 20th century. On June 14, 1913 the Dutch colonial administration founded an agency for preserving ancient heritages, which was called Oudheidkundige Dienst (abbreviated as OD). Since then, the efforts to preserve temples intensified.
Until now there are many temples in Java that still has not been found. Everything is still buried underground both small temples or temples larger than Borobudur. everything is still a mystery.
