Sukuh, Hindu temple in Karanganyar, Indonesia
The temple stands at 1,186 meters above sea level on the slopes of Mount Lawu, displaying a pyramid-like structure with three ascending terraces.
Johnson, a British resident of Surakarta, first reported the temple in 1815 while gathering information for Thomas Stamford Raffles' book The History of Java.
The temple walls feature stone carvings depicting the Sudamala tale from Mahabharata, showing Sahadewa and the transformation of goddess Durga.
Located 20 kilometers from Karanganyar city and 36 kilometers from Surakarta, the temple remains an active worship site with incense offerings.
The temple structure bears architectural resemblance to Mexican Maya and Peruvian Inca monuments, diverging from traditional Javanese temple designs.
Location: Karanganyar
GPS coordinates: -7.62740,111.13118
Latest update: May 27, 2025 06:56
The Indonesian temples from the 8th to 14th centuries showcase Buddhist and Hindu architecture. The stone structures display reliefs, sculptures, and religious symbols. The temple complexes are located in Java and Bali, surrounded by rice fields and volcanoes. The monuments document the history of the Mataram and Singhasari kingdoms.
The island of Java showcases an exceptional heritage blending spiritual traditions and natural wonders. The temples of Prambanan and Candi Mendut attest to the grandeur of 9th-century Hindu and Buddhist civilizations, while the Candi Sewu complex reveals sacred architecture organized according to mandala principles. Active volcanoes like Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen offer striking landscapes, from the smoking crater dominating the black sand plain to turquoise lakes where miners still extract sulfur. Javanese cities combine tradition and modernity: Jakarta features the National Monument on Merdeka Square, Bandung houses the Geology Museum founded in 1928, and Malang surprises with Kampung Biru, whose houses are entirely painted blue. The Seribu Islands extend this diversity into the Java Sea with their coral reefs, while floating markets like in Lembang maintain age-old trading practices. This array of sites invites exploration of Indonesia’s deep spirit, between spirituality, volcanic nature, and human ingenuity.
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