Candi Prambanan or Candi Rara Jonggrang is a 9th-century Hindu temple compound in Central

Java, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver
(Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple compound is located approximately 17 kilometres
(11 mi) northeast of the city of Yogyakarta on the boundary between Central Java and Yogyakarta
provinces.
The temple compound, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia, and
one of the biggest in Southeast Asia. It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture, typical
of Hindu architecture, and by the towering 47-metre-high (154 ft) central building inside a large complex
of individual temples. Prambanan attracts many visitors from around the world.

Construction:
The Prambanan temple is the largest Hindu temple of ancient Java, and the first building was completed
in the mid-9th century. It was likely started by Rakai Pikatan as the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty's answer to
the Buddhist Sailendra Dynasty's Borobudur and Sewu temples nearby. Historians suggest that the
construction of Prambanan probably was meant to mark the return of the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty to
power in Central Java after almost a century of Buddhist Sailendra Dynasty domination. The construction
of this massive Hindu temple signifies that the Medang court had shifted its patronage from Mahayana
Buddhism to Shaivite Hinduism.

A temple was first built at the site around 850 CE by Rakai Pikatan and expanded extensively by King
Lokapala and Balitung Maha Sambu the Sanjaya king of the Mataram Kingdom. According to the
Shivagrha inscription of 856 CE, the temple was built to honor Lord Shiva, and its original name was
Shiva-grha (the House of Shiva) or Shiva-laya (the Realm of Shiva). According to the Shivagrha
inscription, a public water project to change the course of a river near Shivagrha Temple was undertaken
during the construction of the temple. The river, identified as the Opak River, now runs north to south on
the western side of the Prambanan temple compound. Historians suggest that originally the river was
curved further to east and was deemed too near to the main temple.[citation needed] The project was done
by cutting the river along a north to south axis along the outer wall of the Shivagrha Temple compound.
The former river course was filled in and made level to create a wider space for the temple expansion, the
space for rows of pervara (complementary) temples.
Some archaeologists propose that the statue of Shiva in the garbhagriha (central chamber) of the main
temple was modelled after King Balitung, serving as a depiction of his deified self after death.

The temple compound was expanded by successive Mataram kings, such as Daksa and Tulodong, with
the addition of hundreds of perwara temples around the chief temple. Prambanan served as the royal
temple of the Kingdom of Mataram, with most of the state's religious ceremonies and sacrifices being
conducted there. At the height of the kingdom, scholars estimate that hundreds of brahmins with their
disciples lived within the outer wall of the temple compound. The urban center and the court of Mataram
were located nearby, somewhere in the Prambanan Plain.

Abandonment

In the 930s, the court was shifted to East Java by Mpu Sindok, who established the Isyana Dynasty. An
eruption of Mount Merapi volcano, located north of Prambanan in central Java, or a power struggle
probably caused the shift. That marked the beginning of the decline of the temple. It was soon abandoned
and began to deteriorate.
The temples collapsed during a major earthquake in the 16th century. Although the temple ceased to be an
important center of worship, the ruins scattered around the area were still recognizable and known to the
local Javanese people in later times. The statues and the ruins became the theme and the inspiration for
the Loro Jonggrang folktale. After the division of Mataram Sultanate in 1755, the temple ruins and the
Opak River were used to demarcate the boundary between Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo) Sultanates,
which was adopted as the current border between Yogyakarta and the province of Central Java.
Rediscovery

The ruins of Prambanan c. 1895, soon after their rediscovery.

The Javanese locals in the surrounding villages knew about the temple ruins before formal rediscovery,
but they did not know about its historical background: which kingdoms ruled or which king
commissioned the construction of the monuments. As a result, the locals developed tales and legends to
explain the origin of temples, infused with myths of giants, and a cursed princess. They gave Prambanan
and Sewu a wondrous origin; these were said in the Loro Jonggrang legend to have been created by a
multitude of demons under the order of Bandung Bondowoso.
The temple attracted international attention early in the 19th century. In 1811 during British short-lived
occupation of the Dutch East Indies, Colin Mackenzie, a surveyor in the service of Sir Thomas Stamford
Raffles, came upon the temples by chance. Although Sir Thomas subsequently commissioned a full
survey of the ruins, they remained neglected for decades. Dutch residents carried off sculptures as garden
ornaments and native villagers used the foundation stones for construction material.
Half-hearted excavations by archaeologists in the 1880s facilitated looting. In 1918, the Dutch began
reconstruction of the compound and proper restoration only in 1930. Efforts at restoration continue to this
day. The reconstruction of the main Shiva temple was completed around 1953 and inaugurated
by Sukarno. Since much of the original stonework has been stolen and reused at remote construction sites,
restoration was hampered considerably. Given the scale of the temple complex, the government decided
to rebuild shrines only if at least 75% of their original masonry was available. Most of the smaller shrines
are now visible only in their foundations, with no plans for their reconstruction.

Brief synthesis

Prambanan Temple Compounds consist of Prambanan Temple (also called Loro Jonggrang), Sewu
Temple, Bubrah Temple and Lumbung Temple. Prambanan Temple itself is a complex consisting of 240
temples. All the mentioned temples form the Prambanan Archaeological Park and were built during the
heyday of Sailendras powerful dynasty in Java in the 8th century AD. These compounds are located on
the border between the two provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java on Java Island.
While Loro Jonggrang, dating from the 9th century, is a brilliant example of Hindu religious bas-reliefs,
Sewu, with its four pairs of Dwarapala giant statues, is Indonesias largest Buddhist complex including
the temples of Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu (Gana temple). The Hindu temples are decorated with reliefs
illustrating the Indonesian version of the Ramayana epic which are masterpieces of stone carvings. These
are surrounded by hundreds of shrines that have been arranged in three parts showing high levels of stone
building technology and architecture from the 8th century AD in Java. With over 500 temples, Prambanan
Temple Compounds represents not only an architectural and cultural treasure, but also a standing proof of
past religious peaceful cohabitation.
Integrity

Prambanan Temple Compounds comprises of two groups of buildings which includes Loro Jonggrang,
Sewu complexes, Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu (Gana). The 508 stone temples of various shapes and sizes
are either in a complete and preserved condition or have been retained as ruins. This site includes all
elements necessary to express its exceptional significance and is well maintained. There are no threats of
development or neglect; however the area is prone to natural threats such as earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions.

Authenticity

Prambanan Temple Compounds contains the original structures that were built in the 9th century AD. The
temples collapsed due to earthquake, volcanic eruption and a shift of political power in the early 11th
century, and they were rediscovered in the 17th century. These compounds have never been displaced or
changed. Restoration works have been conducted since 1918, both in original traditional method of
interlocking stone and modern methods using concrete to strengthen the temple structure. Even though
extensive restoration works have been done in the past and as recently as after the 2006 earthquake, great
care has been taken to retain the authenticity of the structures.
PRAMBANAN TEMPLE COMPLEX (temples)
Originally there were a total of 240 temples standing in Prambanan. The Prambanan Temple Compound
consist of:

3 Trimurti temples: three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Visnu, and Brahma
3 Vahana temples: three temples in front of Trimurti temples dedicated to the vahana of each gods;
Nandi, Garuda, and Hamsa
2 Apit temples: two temples located between the rows of Trimurti and Vahana temples on north and
south side
4 Kelir temples: four small shrines located on 4 cardinal directions right beyond the 4 main gates of
inner zone
4 Patok temples: four small shrines located on 4 corners of inner zone
224 Pervara temples: hundreds of temples arranged in 4 concentric square rows; numbers of temples
from inner row to outer row are: 44, 52, 60, and 68

The Prambanan compound also known as Rara Jonggrang complex, named after the popular legend
of Rara Jonggrang. There were once 240 temples standing in this Shivaite temple complex, either big or
small. Today, all of 8 main temples and 8 small shrines in the inner zone are reconstructed, but only 2 out
of the original 224 pervara temples are renovated. The majority of them have deteriorated; what is left are
only scattered stones. The Prambanan temple complex consists of three zones; first the outer zone, second
the middle zone that contains hundreds of small temples, and third the holiest inner zone that contains
eight main temples and eight small shrines.
The Hindu temple complex at Prambanan is based on a square plan that contains a total of three zone
yards, each of which is surrounded by four walls pierced by four large gates. The outer zone is a large
space marked by a rectangular wall. The outermost walled perimeter, which originally measured about
390 metres per side, was oriented in the northeast-southwest direction. However, except for its southern
gate, not much else of this enclosure has survived down to the present. The original function is unknown;
possibilities are that it was a sacred park, or priests' boarding school (ashram). The supporting buildings
for the temple complex were made from organic material; as a consequence no remains occur.
Shiva temple
The inner zone or central compound is the holiest among the three zones. It is the square elevated
platform surrounded by a square stone wall with stone gates on each four cardinal points. This holiest
compound is assembled of eight main shrines or candi. The three main shrines, called Trimurti ("three
forms"), are dedicated to the three Gods: Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper, and Shiva the
Destroyer.
The Shiva temple is the tallest and largest structure in Prambanan Loro Jonggrang complex; it measures
47 metres tall and 34 metres wide. The main stairs are located on the eastern side. The eastern gate of
Shiva temple is flanked by two small shrines, dedicated to guardian gods, Mahakala and Nandhisvara.
The Shiva temple is encircled with galleries adorned with bas-reliefs telling the story of Ramayana carved
on the inner walls of the balustrades. To follow the story accurately, visitors must enter from the east side
and began to perform pradakshina or circumambulating clockwise. The bas-reliefs of Ramayana continue
to the Brahma temple galleries.
The Shiva shrine is located at the center and contains five chambers, four small chambers in every
cardinal direction and one bigger main chamber in the central part of the temple. The east chamber
connects to the central chamber that houses the largest temple in Prambanan, a three-metre high statue
of Shiva Mahadeva (the Supreme God). The statue bears Lakana (attributes or symbol) of Shiva such as
skull and sickle (crescent) at the crown, and third eye on the forehead; also four hands that holds Shiva's
symbols: prayer beads, feather duster, and trisula (trident). Some historians believe that the depiction of
Shiva as Mahadeva was also meant to personify king Balitung as the reincarnation of Shiva. So, when he
died, a temple was built to commemorate him as Shiva. The statue of Shiva stands on a lotus pad on
a Yoni pedestal that bears the carving of Nga serpents on the north side of the pedestal.
The other three smaller chambers contain statues of Hindu Gods related to Shiva: his consort Durga,
the rishi Agastya, and Ganesha, his son. A statue of Agastya occupies the south chamber, the west
chamber houses the statue of Ganesha, while the north chamber contains the statue of Durga
Mahisasuramardini depicting Durga as the slayer of the Bull demon. The shrine of Durga is also called
the temple of Rara Jonggrang(Javanese: slender virgin), after a Javanese legend of princess Rara
Jonggrang.
Brahma and Vishnu temples
The two other main shrines are those of Vishnu on the north side of the Shiva shrine, and the one
of Brahma on the south. Both temples face east and each contain only one large chamber, each dedicated
to respected gods; Brahma temple contains the statue of Brahma and Vishnu temple houses the statue of
Vishnu. Brahma and Vishnu temple measures 20 metres wide and 33 metres tall.
Vahana temples
The other three shrines in front of the three main temples are dedicated to the vehicles (vahana) of the
respective gods the bull Nandi for Shiva, the sacred swan Hamsa for Brahma, and Vishnu's
Kite Garuda. Precisely in front of the Shiva temple is the Nandi temple, which contains a statue of the
Nandi bull. Next to it, there are also other statues, the statue of Chandra the god of the moon
and Surya the god of the sun. Chandra stands on his carriage pulled by 10 horses, the statue of Surya also
stands on a carriage pulled by 7 horses. Facing the Brahma temple is the temple of Hamsa or Angsa. The
chamber of this temple contains no statue, but it seems likely that there was once a statue of the sacred
swan. In front of the Vishnu temple is the temple dedicated to Garuda. However, just like the Hamsa
temple, the Garuda temple contains no statue, but probably once contained the statue of Garuda. Garuda
holds an important role for Indonesia, as it serves as the national symbol of Indonesia, and also as the
name of the airline Garuda Indonesia.

Apit temples and smaller shrines

Between these rows of the main temple, on the north and south side, stand two Candi
Apit temples. Apit in Javanese means "flank". It refers to the position of the two temples that flanked the
inner courtyard on the north and south sides. The room inside the Apit temples is now empty. It is not
clear to which deities these Apit temples were dedicated. However, examining the southern Apit temple
bas-reliefs on the outer wall, a female deity is depicted, most probably Sarasvati, the Shakti (consort) of
Brahma. Considering the Hindu pantheon represented in Prambanan temples, it is possible that the
southern Apit temple was dedicated to Sarasvati, while the northern Apit temple was dedicated
to Lakshmi.
Beside these 8 main temples, there are also 8 smaller shrines; 4 Candi Kelir on four cardinal directions of
the entrance, and 4 Candi Patok on four corners of the inner zone. Kelir in Javanese means "screen",
especially referring to wayang kulit, fabric screen. It refers to a structure that obstructs the main cardinal
entry of gopura. It is similar to aling-aling in Balinese architecture. Patok in Javanese means "peg". It
refers to the shrine location at the four corners of the inner compound.
Pervara temples
The two walled perimeters that surround the remaining two yards to the interior are oriented to the four
cardinal points. The second yard's walled perimeter, which measures about 225 metres per side, surrounds
a terraced area that consists of four rows containing 44, 52, 60, and 68 pervara temples. Respectively,
each has a height of 14 metres and measures 66 metres at the base, or 224 structures in total. The sixteen
temples located at the corners of the rows face two directions; the remaining 208 structures open to only
one of the four cardinal directions.
The middle zone consists of four rows of 224 individual small shrines. There are great numbers of these
temples, but most of them are still in ruins and only some have been reconstructed. These concentric rows
of temples were made in an identical design. Each row towards the center is slightly elevated. These
shrines are called "Candi Perwara", guardian or complementary temples, the additional buildings of the
main temple. Some believed it was offered to the king as a sign of submission. The Perwara are arranged
in four rows around the central temples. Some believed it had something to do with four castes, made
according to the rank of the people allowed to enter them; the row nearest to the central compound was
accessible to the priests only, the other three were reserved for the nobles, the knights, and the simple
people respectively. While another believed that the four rows of Perwara had nothing to do with four
castes, it was just simply made as a meditation place for priests and as a worship place for devotees.
Architecture
The architecture of Prambanan temple follows the typical Hindu architecture traditions based on Vastu
Shastra. The temple design incorporated mandala temple plan arrangements and also the typical high
towering spires of Hindu temples. Prambanan was originally named Shivagrha and dedicated to the
god Shiva. The temple was designed to mimic Meru, the holy mountain, the abode of Hindu gods, and the
home of Shiva. The whole temple complex is a model of the Hindu universe according to Hindu
cosmology and the layers of Loka.
Just like Borobudur, Prambanan also recognizes the hierarchy of the temple zones, spanned from the less
holy to the holiest realms. Each Hindu and Buddhist concept has its own terms, but the concepts are
essentially identical. Either the compound site plan (horizontally) or the temple structure (vertically)
consists of three zones:

Bhurloka (in Buddhism: Kmadhtu), the lowest realm of common mortals; humans, animals also
demons. Where humans are still bound by their lust, desire and unholy way of life. The outer
courtyard and the foot (base) part of each temples is symbolized the realm of bhurloka.
Bhuvarloka (in Buddhism: Rupadhatu), the middle realm of holy people, occupied by rishis,
ascetics, and lesser gods. People here begin to see the light of truth. The middle courtyard and the
body of each temple symbolizes the realm of bhuvarloka.
Svarloka (in Buddhism: Arupadhatu), the highest and holiest realm, reserved for the gods. Also
known as svargaloka. The inner courtyard and the roof of each temple symbolizes the realm
of svarloka. The roof of Prambanan temples are adorned and crowned with ratna (sanskrit: jewel),
the shape of Prambanan ratna took the altered form of vajra that represent diamonds. In ancient Java
temple architecture, ratna is the Hindu counterpart of the Buddhist stupa, and served as the temple's
pinnacle.
During the restoration, a well which contains a pripih (stone casket) was discovered under the center of
the Shiva temple. The main temple has a well 5.75 m deep in which a stone casket was found on top a pile
of charcoal, earth, and remains of burned animal bones. Sheets of gold leaves with the
inscription Varuna (god of the sea) and Parvata (god of the mountains) were found here. The stone casket
contained sheets of copper, charcoal, ashes, earth, 20 coins, jewels, glass, pieces of gold and silver
leaves, seashells and 12 gold leaves (which were cut in the shapes of a turtle, Nga serpent, padma, altar,
and an egg).
Reliefs
Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana
The temple is adorned with panels of narrative bas-reliefs telling the story of the Hindu
epic Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana. The narrative bas-relief panels were carved along the
inner balustrades wall on the gallery around the three main temples.
The narrative panels on the balustrade read from left to right. The story starts from the east entrance
where visitors turn left and move around the temple gallery in a clockwise direction. This conforms
with pradaksina, the ritual of circumambulation performed by pilgrims who move in a clockwise
direction while keeping the sanctuary to their right. The story of Ramayana starts on Shiva temple
balustrade and continues to Brahma temple. On the balustrades in Vishnu temple there is series of bas-
relief panels depicting the stories of lord Krishna from Bhagavata Purana.
The bas-relief of Ramayana illustrate how Sita, the wife of Rama, is abducted by Ravana. The monkey
king Hanuman brings his army to help Rama and rescue Sita. This story is also shown by the Ramayana
Ballet, regularly performed at full moon at Trimurti open-air theatre on the west side of the illuminated
Prambanan complex.

Lokapalas, Brahmins and Devatas

On the other side of the narrative panels, the temple wall along the gallery was adorned with statues and
reliefs of devatas and brahmin sages. The figures of lokapalas, the celestial guardians of directions, can be
found in Shiva temple. The brahmin sage editors of veda were carved on Brahma temple wall, while in
Vishnu temple the figures of male deities devatas are flanked by two apsaras.
 RESEARCH
IN
HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE III

INDONESIAN ARCHITECTURE
(PRAMBANAN TEMPLE COMPOUNDS)
GROUP 5
SUBMITTED BY:
ANADI, HUELSON B.
BS ARCH 3C

SUBMITTED TO:
Ar. JEFFREY ROY D.S WEE, uap
INSTUCTOR
PRAMBANAN TEMPLE COMPLEX
Contents:
I- Introduction
II- Construction
III- Abandonment
IV- Rediscovery
V- Brief Synthesis
VI- Integrity
VII- Authenticity
VIII- Temples
a. Shiva Temple
b. Brahma and Vishnu Temple
c. Vahana Temples
d. Apit Temples and smaller shrines
e. Pervara Temples
IX- Architecture
X- Reliefs
a. Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana
b. Lokapalas, Brahmins and Devatas