Pictures from Borobudur in Central Java, Indonesia: monument and bas-relief.
Borobudur monument (part), Java. © Dirk Wuyts
Borobudur is a Mahayana Buddhist monument located in Magelang, Central Java, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Yogyakarta (Indonesia). It was built during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, between AD 750 and 842, about 300 years before Cambodia's Angkor Wat. It was abandoned in the 14th century following the Javanese conversion to Islam. The Sanctuary was exposed to volcanic eruption and other ravages of nature. The temple was not rediscovered until the 19th century. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.
Once a year, Borobodur is still today a Buddhist pilgrimage destination (Vesak festival).
Borobudur is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world and a site of UNESCO's world heritage list. It is the single most visited tourist attraction in Indonesia.
The walls of Borobudur are sculptured in bas-reliefs, extending over a total length of 6 km. © Dirk Wuyts