Kalasan Temple

Kalasan Temple

It appears to have been built late the 8th or early in the 9th century on the top of an older temple. An inscription was found a short distance away relating that a temple had been built in honour of the female Bodhisattva, Tara. At first, this way though to be the present Kalasan temple, but then constructional proof was found that the present sanctuary had been built completely around another, and it became clear that the inscription, dated 778 A.D, refers to the earlier building. The inscription is of further interest since it relates that the temple devoted to Tara had been built by two kings in cooperation, one being, it is said, a Buddhist Syailendra and the other a Hindu of Mataram.

The Kalasan temple we see today beside the road between Yogyakarta and Solo is undoubtedly Buddhist. Although we do not know what was the form of the statue of Buddha, or of Tara, that was in the main chamber, it seems to have been very large, possibly as much as 6 meters in height. It was probably of bronze, and we can therefore image it gilded and bejeweled.

Reference to the ground plan shows that there were once three smaller unconnected sanctuaries in this temple, besides the central one with its antechamber.

• Sukuh Tample
• Sari Temple
• Sambisari Temple
• Ratu Boko Palace
• Prambanan Temple
• Plaosan Temple
• Pawon Temple
• Mendut Temple
• Kalasan Temple
• Gedongsongo Temple
• Dieng Temple
• Borobudur Temple