BOROBUDUR TEMPLE

The Saïlandra dynasty built the sanctuary of Borobudur between 750 and 850, but this masterpiece of Buddhist architecture was swallowed up by vegetation and volcanic ash after the rulers left for East Java in the ^10th century. The site was not rediscovered until 1815. The Dutch undertook its restoration alone, but the rescue of the temple took on an international dimension in 1968, thanks in no small part to the help of UNESCO. Work was completed in 1983. The temple was dismantled stone by stone, the stones treated and reassembled one by one. Originally, it housed 502 Buddha statues: 43 have disappeared, and at least 300 are damaged (decapitated).

Perched on a high hill in the middle of a park, the enormous edifice of black volcanic stone (123 m square by 43 m high) is in fact a single, immense stupa, made up of smaller, symmetrical, square stupas (bells containing seated Buddha statues, or bodhisattvas), with four square and three round floors: the seven steps to nirvana. Four staircases, oriented according to the four points of the compass, ascend directly to the top - but it's best to go around each landing (from the left, of course, according to Buddhist principles, starting at the eastern entrance), to admire the sculptures narrating the life and lessons of the Buddha. The last three circular terraces house 72 stupas (32, 24 and 16).

The entire temple contains some 1,460 narrative bas-reliefs and 1,212 decorative bas-reliefs. On the first floor, the bas-reliefs illustrate the vicissitudes of a life of sin: grotesque characters, the lost and the damned (many of these bas-reliefs are no longer visible, as they were covered by stones used to reinforce the temple foundations). Each subsequent floor features illustrations of the main stages in Buddha's life.

At Borobudur's first circle, to the right of the staircase facing the entrance to the site, you'll certainly notice a crowd of Indonesians crowding around the first stupa. According to local beliefs, if a man manages to touch the ring finger of the Buddha statue in the stupa (his ankle for a woman), he or she will have their wish granted!

Once a year, on Vesak day (the date is fixed according to the Buddhist calendar), a grand ceremony brings together hundreds of Indonesian Buddhists, generally of Chinese origin. They begin the procession with a visit to two other Buddhist temples, a few hundred meters away: the Mendut temple, symbolizing learning, and the Pawon temple, the abandonment of desires. Then it's on to Borobudur.

As soon as you arrive at the site, you'll be given a pair of sandals to wear throughout your visit (which you can keep with you after you leave, to take back to your hotel). You'll be divided into groups of 10-15 people each, and assigned to a guide. The walk to the temple takes around twenty minutes.

It's worth mentioning that it used to be possible to visit the temple at dawn. However, in order to regulate the influx of tourists, this practice has been changed, and as a result, the magnificent shots taken at dawn, which were once available to visitors, will unfortunately no longer be possible.