Description Located near a volcano, this massive Buddhist temple is the largest in the world. The building's site plan is that of a mandala, a Buddhist symbol representing the different parts of the world and heavens. Nine terraces rise up in a symmetrical plan, first squares then circles. Stupas enclosing Buddha statues ring the terraces, with a giant one at the very center. Carvings on the structure tell the story of Buddha. The entire structure is built of solid stone.
At the time of construction, Java was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty. Years later, when different leaders ruled, the capital was relocated and the site abandoned to the jungle, until rediscovery in the 19th century. By then the entire structure was buried. Since then an ongoing reconstruction process to restore the temple to its original condition.
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