Candhi Gunungsari, Hindu temple in Magelang, Indonesia
Candi Gunungsari is a Shivaite Hindu temple on the summit of Bukit Sari in Gunungsari hamlet, Gulon village, Salam district, Magelang, Central Java. Its ornamentation, form and architecture suggest it is older than Candi Gunung Wukir, about 4 km to the southeast, where the Canggal inscription was found.
The temple was reported by the colonial archaeological service but later forgotten. It was rediscovered by chance in 1987, when stones were unearthed during preparations for a relay tower. Based on its ornaments, form and architecture, it is probably older than Gunung Wukir, the temple near which the Canggal inscription was found.
The temple is a Hindu Siwa shrine, as recorded in Javanese sources, and its name links it to Gunungsari hamlet in Gulon village, Salam district. Its ornamentation, form and architecture are what led researchers to date it earlier than the nearby Gunung Wukir temple, where the Canggal inscription was found.
The temple sits on the summit of Bukit Sari in Dusun Gunungsari, Gulon village, Salam district, about 4 km northwest of Candi Gunung Wukir. Reach it by private vehicle or taxi from Magelang, roughly 20 km away, then walk the last stretch up the hill; wear sturdy shoes and carry water and sun protection.
The site was rediscovered in 1987 during construction plans for a transmission tower, leading workers to unearth numerous temple stones. This accidental discovery allowed researchers to understand more about the structure's past.
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