Sewu Temple

The second-largest Buddhist temple complex in Indonesia after Borobudur, the Sewu Temple Complex is built upon Buddhist principles and sensibilities. It stands about 15 km east of central Yogyakarta, immediately north of Prambanan, and ranks among Java’s foremost temple sites. The construction of the temple complex was started way back in the 8th- Century by the Matram Kings, although it was discovered only in the 1960s. This was because the debris of the temple were buried under the deluge of the explosion of Mount Merapi Volcano.

The name of the temple itself in the local language translates to 'Thousand Temples', however, in reality temple is arranged in the form of a 'Mandala' and consists of 294 smaller temples inside it. The temple is also known as Candi Sewu Temple, after the Indnesian word for temple. It is located right at the end of the Prambanan Temple complex and inspite of being a restored one, sees far fewer tourists.