Prambanan Temple Compounds

Prambanan was built in the mid-9th century during the reign of the Sanjaya dynasty, most likely begun under Rakai Pikatan and later completed by his successor. The main compound originally held 240 temples arranged around the central shrines of the Hindu trinity, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. UNESCO notes that the wider World Heritage property, which also includes the Buddhist temples of Sewu, Bubrah and Lumbung, contains 508 stone temples in total.

According to UNESCO, the temples collapsed in the early 11th century through a combination of earthquakes, volcanic activity and a shift of political power away from Central Java, and they were rediscovered in the 17th century. Restoration began in 1918 and continues today, including major repairs after the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, which damaged the complex and closed it briefly.

Prambanan Temple Compounds were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. The popular legend of Roro Jonggrang, a princess turned to stone after tricking a suitor who had promised to build a thousand temples in one night, is still told to explain the temple's local name.

Prambanan stands among villages where many families work in farming, crafts and tourism. The dance-drama traditions performed nearby draw on Javanese court styles, and many of the dancers and musicians come from local communities and arts schools around Yogyakarta.