Borobudur Temple

Borobudur is a Buddhist temple. It was built in the ninth century under Sailendra dynasty of ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta architecture of India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 meter high and consists of eight steps like stone terrace. The first five terraces are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Buddhist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper three are circular. Each of them is with a circle of bell shape-stupa. The entire upper structure is crowned by a large stupa at the center of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8 km of passage and stairways. 

The design of Borobudur symbolizes the conception of universe in Buddhist cosmology. It is believed that the universe is divided into three spiritual spheres, kamadhatu, rupadhatu, and arupadhatu. The first sphere, kamadhatu, represents respectively the sphere of desires where we are bound to our desires; the second sphere, rupadhatu, represents forms where we abandon our desires but are still bound to name and form; and the last sphere, arupadhatu, represents formlessness where there is no longer either name or form. Borobudur temple which is rededicated as an Indonesian monument in 1983 is a valuable treasure for Indonesian people. With its magnificent size and architecture, no wonder that Borobudur Temple includes 7 wonders of the world.