Borobudur Buddhist Temple: World Heritage Site in Indonesia
Photo Essay of a splendid Buddhist temple
Driving through the volcanic mountain basin on the island of Java in Indonesia, we passed miles of terraced rice fields. We were traveling with a group of teachers that we worked with in Jakarta. We had heard about Borobudur and couldn’t wait to finally get to see it.
Finally, we could see the Borobudur Temple ahead of us. Awesome.
Arriving at the base, it looked like a massive pile of volcanic stone with steps leading up to the stupas at the top. We worked our way through the crowds to the steps at the base.
As you can see from the photo below, standing at the temple's base, you can’t understand its organization. It is difficult to see that it consists of five consecutive square terraces, topped by three circular platforms, with a large stupa at the top. You need to climb to the top or get an aerial view to fully appreciate the layers. (see aerial view: Borodubur Temple)
The photo below gives a better perspective of the size of the base of the temple. I am the woman wearing a skirt and a red shirt with a…
