Cetho, Hindu temple on Mount Lawu, Indonesia
The temple complex extends across eleven terraces at 1495 meters elevation, connected by stone pathways leading to the main structure at the summit.
Constructed during the Majapahit period under King Brawijaya V in the 15th century, this temple marks the final phase of Hindu architecture in Java.
The temple incorporates both Hindu and Javanese architectural elements, reflecting the religious practices of the region before Islamic influence spread across Java.
Located 40 kilometers from Surakarta City, the temple requires navigation of steep mountain roads through villages and tea plantations to reach the entrance.
The temple features stone carvings and statues that display influences from multiple ancient civilizations, including Sumerian, Greek, and Roman elements.
Location: East Java
Location: Karanganyar
Inception: 15 century
GPS coordinates: -7.59554,111.15731
Latest update: May 27, 2025 06:49
The Indonesian temples from the 8th to 14th centuries display Buddhist and Hindu architecture of the Mataram and Singhasari kingdoms. The stone structures carry reliefs, sculptures, and religious symbols depicting deities such as Shiva, Buddha, and Vishnu. The complexes are located mainly on Java and Bali, where rice fields and volcanoes shape the landscape. Borobudur near Magelang forms the largest Buddhist temple in the region with nine levels and 2,672 relief panels. Prambanan in Klaten rises with 157-foot (47-meter) towers as Java's most important Hindu sanctuary. The Gedong Songo temples near Semarang stand at 3,900 feet (1,200 meters) elevation between sulfur vents and volcanic cones. Gunung Kawi near Tampaksiring on Bali shows 33-foot (10-meter) rock-cut shrines from the 11th century. Sukuh and Ceto on the slopes of Lawu present unusual pyramid forms. Plaosan, Kalasan, and Sari near Yogyakarta combine Buddhist and Hindu elements. The Dieng temples document early Hindu architecture of the 8th century as the oldest surviving structures on Java.
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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