Borobudur
Gunadharma · Magelang, Indonesia · 825
Borobudur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, adorned with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Its design reflects Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesian indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining nirvana. The temple is a massive stupa, and its intricate relief carvings narrate Buddhist teachings and Javanese life. It was abandoned sometime after the 14th century and remained largely hidden under volcanic ash and jungle vegetation for centuries before its rediscovery in 1814. Borobudur was restored in the late 20th century by UNESCO and the Indonesian government and remains a significant pilgrimage site.