Safe Borobudur


Welcome to Borobudur, one of the sacred buildings of Buddhism as a World Cultural Heritage site. The splendor and beauty of Borobudur has its own historical value for Indonesian people. The Indonesian government has designated Chandi Borobudur as a major tourist attraction, and also a priority tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors.

Chandi Borobudur attracts extraordinary enthusiasm to visit and explore several narrative sources in thematic tours, with the aim of getting to know more closely the history, architecture and fine arts of this building.

The friendly Pamong Carita will accompany and guide you to provide explanations and narratives about Borobudur and its surroundings. Introducing 'Upanat', namely special footwear worn when visiting the terraces through a corridor with a series of relief panel galleries, leading to the top of the circular upper terrace with a row of stupas at Borobudur Temple. Explore history and admire the beauty of architectural art, as well as the origin of the name Chandi Borobudur.

Borobudur was heavily affected by 
the eruption of Mount Merapi. Volcanic ash from Merapi fell on the temple complex.
Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot photo arisguide.

Welcome, nice to meet you on the Borobudur tour, You will step on now and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites. The reopening of Borobudur sends to the visitors an interesting opportunity to explore several narrative sources about the existence of the Borobudur in the insights of travel guides on to Borobudur.

It is mentioned in the history of Borobudur, that there is a relief panel carved on a hidden foot, based on the wall of Karmawibhangga text, panel number 150, about a pair of footwear offering named 'Upanat', which is dedicated to Brahmins.

The bas-relief of the foot wall is hidden in the Karmawibhangga text panel number 150, regarding the offering of footwear with the name 'Upanat', the footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life.

The bas-reliefs found on hidden foot
regarding footwear offerings with the name 'Upanat', a pair of footwear offered to Brahmins, regarding the offerings of the footwear named 'Upanat', given to get rewards and prosperity in life.
Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide.

The relief found on the hidden foot wall, in the Karmawibhangga text panel 150, concerns the offering of footwear with the name 'Upanat', a footwear offered to Brahmins, to obtain merit and prosperity in life.

Introducing 'Upanat', a footwear used to visit the terraces of the Borobudur temple, with the aim of getting to know the monument better, learning history, doing thematic tours and admiring the splendor of Chandi Borobudur as a sacred temple for Buddhists. The trip will be part of an appreciation in learning, admiring, and participating in safeguarding and protecting the world cultural heritage site located at Borobudur Indonesia.

It's fun going around the temple to get a source of explanation guided by a tour guide. Opportunity to find out the source, explanation of the written history of Chandi Borobudur and study about save Borobudur in the past.

Welcome to Chandi Borobudur
You will now step on and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites.
Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide.

Step on Borobudur

Chandi Borobudur is one of a world cultural heritage site or World Heritage Site, a Buddhist temple located in Borobudur, belongs to Magelang regency and located in Central Java province. To reach the monument is approximately 96 kilometers from Semarang, the capital city of Central Java, and approximately 86 kilometers from the city of Surakarta, and about 40 kilometers from the city of Yogyakarta.

Chandi Borobudur is located right above of a hill and is built in the middle of several mountains and hills. Looking to the west, there are Mount Sundoro and Sumbing. Looking east you can see Mount Merbabu and the active volcano, Merapi. Its viewed from the north, approximately 15 kilometers from Borobudur there is the Tidar hill, and to the south it is bounded by the Menoreh hills. Borobudur is located at the confluence of two rivers namely Progo and Elo which is just located at eastern of Chandi Borobudur and Chandi Pawon.

Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur 
is a 9th–century Mahayana Buddhist temple, which consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.
Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide.

In 1968 Professor Soekmono, then Head of the Indonesian Archaeological Service, launched the "Save Borobudur" campaign, in an attempt to organize a major restoration project. At first glance, Borobudur has been restored to its glory. The Indonesian government and UNESCO then carried out a complete overhaul of the restoration project between 1973 and 1983.

Safe Borobudur Past

missing elements.
In this case as part of the maintenance and management of the monumental cultural heritage site, the Borobudur Conservation Center has a major role.

UNESCO identified three areas of special concern under the current conservation status: (i) vandalism by visitors; (ii) soil erosion in the southeastern part of the site; and (iii) analysis and recovery of missing elements.

Earthquakes are by far 
the most important contributing factors, since do stones fall down and arches crumble.
Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot photo arisguide.

The soft soil, the numerous earthquakes and heavy rains lead to the destabilization of the structure. Earthquakes are by far the most important contributing factors, since do stones fall down and arches crumble, but the earth can move in waves, further destroying the structure. There is no limit the number of visitors allowed per day to visit.

Borobudur was heavily affected by the eruption of Mount Merapi in October and November 2010. Volcanic ash from Merapi fell on the temple complex, which is approximately 28 kilometers (17 mi) west-southwest of the crater. A layer of ash up to 2.5 centimeters (1 in) thick fell on the temple statues during the eruption of 3–5 November, also killing nearby vegetation, with experts fearing that the acidic ash might damage the historic site. The temple complex was closed from 5 to 9 November to clean up the ash fall. UNESCO donated US$3 million as a part of the costs towards the rehabilitation of Borobudur after Mount Merapi's 2010 eruption. More than 55,000 stone blocks comprising the temple's structure were dismantled to restore the drainage system, which had been clogged by slurry after the rain.

In January 2012, two German stone-conservation experts spent ten days at the site analyzing the temples and making recommendations to ensure their long-term preservation. In June, Germany agreed to contribute $130,000 to UNESCO for the second phase of rehabilitation, in which six experts in stone conservation, microbiology, structural engineering and chemical engineering would spend a week in Borobudur in June then return for another visit in September or October.

These missions would launch the preservation activities recommended in the January report and would include capacity building activities to enhance the preservation capabilities of governmental staff and young conservation experts.

In August 2014, the Conservation Authority of Borobudur reported some severe abrasion of the stone stairs caused by the scraping of visitors' footwear. The conservation authority planned to install wooden stairs to cover and protect the original stone stairs, just like those installed in Angkor Wat.

Borobudur was heavily affected by 
the eruption of Mount Merapi. Volcanic ash from Merapi fell on the temple complex.
Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot photo arisguide.

On 14 February 2014, major tourist attractions in Yogyakarta and Central Java, including Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko, were closed to visitors, after being severely affected by the volcanic ash from the eruption of Kelud volcano in East Java, located around 200 kilometers east from Yogyakarta. Workers covered the iconic stupas and statues of Borobudur temple to protect the structure from volcanic ash.

UNESCO listed Borobudur Temple as World Heritage Site in 1991.
Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot arisguide.

Source: Guide Book arisguide, Guiding Technique arisguide. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

Get more narration and materials about Chandi Borobudur in Barabudur atau Borobudur, Candi Buddha Pusaka Budaya Indonesia.
Reading is more fun exploring the thematic narratives, beyond travel guide its more detail in UPANAT - Wisata di Borobudur.
Reading in English is fun and also seems so interesting to translate into language that is easy and flexible, get readings in detail in Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.
Explore, admire the beauty of art in pictures and photos by typing the detailed link in PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.

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