Dusk in Prambanan

As somebody who’s afflicted with temple-itis (ie. an inexplicable fascination with temples and ruins), Central Java is a must see destination.  Most people are familiar only with the more famous Buddhist temple of Borobudur but Central Java is also home to the largest Hindu temple in Southeast Asia—Prambanan.

Built during the 10^th century whilst Europe was in the dark ages, Prambanan is considered as one of the oldest and highest form of Hindu art.  It was specifically built higher than Borobudur (by 5 meters anyway) as a way to prove the large influence of Hinduism in the region.

There are 3 main temples in the complex, one for each of the divine Hindu Trinity gods: Vishnu – The Creator, Brahma – the preserver and Shiva – the destroyer. The romantic photo above is of the largest temple dedicated to Shiva. Incidentally, that is what I sometimes call my friend who has a habit of wrecking appliances.  All the temples are covered with intricate relief sculptures depicting the story of Ramayana. It’s not so evident in this photo but they’re so well preserved that I will surely publish them separately.

What about you guys? Do you have any must see ruins on your travel bucket list?