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BOROBUDUR
The world's largest monument to Buddhism lies on the Indonesian island
of Java. Built around 1200 years ago, Borobudur is a pyramid-shaped arrangement
of temples in three tiers, rising up a hill and culminating in a monumental stupa
(Buddhist shrine). It takes around an hour to get to the top, but once you're
there the view is stupendous.
Borobudur is surrounded by volcanoes and it is thought that the one which erupted
in 1006AD, Mt Merapi, was the reason the complex was abandoned. The buried but
well preserved site was discovered by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1814 and
work bean on its first restoration around the turn of the century. In 1973
UNESCO
got involved and in a 10-year restoration project Borobudur was taken apart stone
by stone and reassembled.
Borobudur's 10 terraces represent the 10 levels an aspirant must developed to
become an "awakened one." The walls and balustrades of the terraces are decorated
with hand-carved reliefs showing the different phases of the soul's journey towards
salvation. The monument's circular platform contain 72 bell shaped stupas, each
housing a statue of Buddha.
Borobudur is about an hour by road from the ancient city of Yogyakarta. The best time to visit is between April and October and it pays to
start early (open at 6am) to beat the heat and to get the best views.
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