Said by many to once have been the most beautiful Hindu temple complex in the world Prambanan certainly lived up to all the hype for many. Sadly in 2006 a devastating earthquake damaged the site greatly and progress to reconstruct the temples is progressing slowly. It is now no longer possible to enter the main site but a visit is still immensely worthwhile. What follows is a description of the site prior to the damage.

Located in central Java 18km from Yogyakarta Prambanan was built by Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty, in AD850 but was damaged and abandoned soon after. Called Lara Jonggrang locally it is said that there were 1000 shrines here, but now around 200 remain.

Reconstruction started in 1918 and was completed by 1953 and today the shrines are recognised as a World Heritage Site. The temples are characterised by tall, pointed sikaras, typical of Hindu temples. The central shrine rises to 47m surrounded by a complex of smaller temples. Altogether there are 224 temples in the complex, the 3 main ones being each dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Carved panels of exquisite quality tell the story of the Ramayana.

The site also houses an archaeological museum where you can learn about the ancient history of Prambanan.