Borobodur

Located near Yogyakarta, this is said to be the largest Buddhist structure, at least in SE Asia, if not in the world. It is another UNESCO world heritage site, started in the 8th or 9th century. This is not a temple, per se, but is a giant stupa. There has been some restoration work done. So some of the stones are original; some are not. The 1st restoration attempt was early in the last century by the Dutch. The yellow color you see is ochre that they painted on to increase the contrast to make the sculptures more visible.
The whole design reflects Buddhist philosophy. It is multiple levels high; each level a step closer to Nirvana. However, the top levels, Nirvana, are not visible, except from the last of the lower levels, and the lower levels are not visible from the top. You can't see back from into the past, i.e., back into the old life, once you reach enlightenment.Meer informatie