Mother Temple of Besakih - Pura Besakih
Indonesia /
Bali /
Klungkung /
World
/ Indonesia
/ Bali
/ Klungkung
World / Indonesia / Bali
monument, pilgrimage, hindu temple, historic site, tourist attraction
The Mother Temple of Besakih, or Pura Besakih, in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, Indonesia, is the most important, the largest and holiest temple of Hindu religion in Bali, and one of a series of Balinese temples. Perched nearly 1000 meters up the side of Gunung Agung, it is an extensive complex of 23 separate but related temples with the largest and most important being Pura Penataran Agung. This is built on six levels, terraced up the slope. This entrance is an imposing Candi Bentar (split gateway), and beyond it the even more impressive Kori Agung is the gateway to the second courtyard.
The precise origins of the temple are not clear but it almost certainly dates from prehistoric times. The stone bases of Pura Penataran Agung and several other temples resemble megalithic stepped pyramids, which date back at least 2000 years. It was certainly used as a Hindu place of worship from 1284 when the first Javanese conquerors settled in Bali. By the 15th century, Besakih had become a state temple of the Gelgel dynasty.
A series of eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, which killed approximately 1,700 people also threatened Pura Besakih. The lava flows missed the temple complex by mere meters. The saving of the temple is regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous, and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected.
Pura Besakih is a cluster of 86 pieces temple. Besakih complex consists of 18 pieces of public temple, temple Chess 4 Lawa, 11 temples pedharman, 6 non-pedharman temple, temple 29 dadia, 7 temples associated with the temple dadia and 11 other temples.
iputuswardiyasa.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/148/ [Translate to English for detailed info in English]
The precise origins of the temple are not clear but it almost certainly dates from prehistoric times. The stone bases of Pura Penataran Agung and several other temples resemble megalithic stepped pyramids, which date back at least 2000 years. It was certainly used as a Hindu place of worship from 1284 when the first Javanese conquerors settled in Bali. By the 15th century, Besakih had become a state temple of the Gelgel dynasty.
A series of eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, which killed approximately 1,700 people also threatened Pura Besakih. The lava flows missed the temple complex by mere meters. The saving of the temple is regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous, and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected.
Pura Besakih is a cluster of 86 pieces temple. Besakih complex consists of 18 pieces of public temple, temple Chess 4 Lawa, 11 temples pedharman, 6 non-pedharman temple, temple 29 dadia, 7 temples associated with the temple dadia and 11 other temples.
iputuswardiyasa.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/148/ [Translate to English for detailed info in English]
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Besakih_Temple
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 8°22'25"S 115°27'10"E
- Pura Pasar Agung 5.5 km
- Pura Geria Gintungan 15 km
- Pura Pucak 15 km
- Utama mandala (jero) 19 km
- Pura Ulun Danu Batur 19 km
- Pura (Temple) Swah Loka - (Mt Lempuyang highest peak 1140m) 23 km
- Pura Agung Udaya Parwata Tambora 258 km
- Mount Agung (3142 m) 6.9 km
- Karangasem Regency 11 km
- Bangli Regency 13 km
- Lake Batur 14 km
- Batur Caldera 17 km
- Gianyar Regency 21 km
- Bali 43 km
- Lombok Strait 47 km
- Buleleng Regency 59 km
- Lombok 93 km