Merapi, Stratovolcano in Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Merapi is a stratovolcano in Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with steep andesite slopes and occasional smoke plumes rising from the summit. Eruptions have repeatedly reshaped the terrain around the crater, leaving fresh lava fields in their wake.
Records show repeated activity since the 16th century, with larger events affecting communities at lower elevations. The 2010 eruption caused widespread evacuations and permanently changed the shape of the summit cone.
Villages around the slopes maintain rituals involving offerings carried to the mountain's flanks. These practices express the relationship between residents and the volcano, seen as a living presence in daily life.
Visitors should plan access to viewpoints in the surrounding national park during clear weather when the summit region is visible. Guides familiar with current volcanic activity accompany most treks and provide information about safe routes.
Local families operate small museums in nearby villages displaying personal belongings and photographs from past eruptions. These private collections preserve memories of how volcanic events have shaped community life over generations.
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