Gunung Gangsir, Hindu temple in Beji district, Pasuruan, Indonesia
Gunung Gangsir is a Hindu temple in Beji district, near Pasuruan in East Java, Indonesia, built from red brick. The structure has a rectangular base with a stairway and a portal entrance on its eastern side.
The temple was built in the 11th century, during the reign of King Airlangga. It was later restored using materials recovered from older structures of the late East Javanese period.
The walls of the temple carry carved reliefs showing ships, flowers, trees, and animals. These motifs draw from both Central and East Javanese building traditions, and seeing both styles on the same structure is something visitors can observe directly on the stonework.
The temple sits west of Bangil town and is easy to reach on foot from that direction. The entrance is on the eastern side of the building, which also leads into the inner sanctum.
Gunung Gangsir is the only temple in East Java where clay casting techniques were used to make its decorative elements. Traces of vajralepa plaster, a coating traditionally applied to protect and finish brick surfaces, are still visible on parts of the walls.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
