World's Biggest Buddhist Monument

The Borobudur

10 Mar 2015 | From Handi of Indonesia

POSTCROSSING SWAP (INSTAGRAM)

Borobudur temple is the world's biggest Buddhist monument. It is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is the place for Buddhists to say their prayers and one of the most atrractive places in Indonesia.

A 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple, the monument consists of six square platforms topped by three circular platforms and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues each of which is seated inside a perforated stupa.

Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple was designed in Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesian indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana. The temple also demonstrates the influences of Gupta art that reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.