The History of Sewu Temple in Yogyakarta

Besides being known its natural beauty, Yogyakarta also for its popular historical tourism. Sewu Temple is a must-visit destination while in Yogyakarta. This temple is located in Bener Hamlet, not far from Prambanan Temple, and has a lot of history and legends that are well known to many people. If you're coming from Yogyakarta City, Sewu Temple is about 17 km in the direction of Solo highway. To learn more about the attractiveness of Sewu Temple, let's look at the following information!

The following are some of the facilities in Sewu Temple:

Sewu Temple features Buddhist motifs and was a center of worship for Buddhists during the Syailendra Dynasty. Prambanan Temple, on the other hand, has Hindu motifs. However, these two neighboring temples demonstrate that in ancient times, there was harmony between followers of these religions.

Sewu Temple is a large complex, measuring 185 meters in length from north to south and 165 meters wide from east to west. It has four entrances located in the north, south, west, and east, with the main door believed to be on the east side. Each entrance is guarded by a giant statue known as Drawapala, standing at about 2 meters tall, facing each other. The temple is built with andesite stone, giving it a strong structure.

It is believed that Sewu Temple was constructed in the 8th century by the rulers of the Hindu Mataram Kingdom, Rakai Panangkaran (746-784 AD) and Rakai Pikatan. Despite the rulers being Hindu, the Mataram Kingdom at the time was also heavily influenced by the Buddhist Syailendra dynasty. Scholars believe that Sewu Temple was a center of religious activity for the Buddhist community.

The following is the latest information regarding the entrance ticket price to Sewu Temple:

Sewu Temple is open to tourists every day from 9 AM-5 PM. We hope this information about Sewu Temple inspires you to visit this beautiful and historical location in Yogyakarta.