The Restoration Project of 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.
 The reconstruction design of stone interlock system on restoration project. Source: Foto arisguide, Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur 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 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.
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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 its restoration project in the past.
Step on BorobudurChandi 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.
Restoration ProjectUntil the middle of the nineteenth century, concern for Chandi Borobudur was confined to amateurs. Investigations and excavations were mostly carried out because of someone’s personal interest or an eagerness to know more about what was still kept hidden by the rubbish. The Government interest dates from 1849. Wilsen was sent to make accurate scale-drawings of the reliefs. A few years later Brumund was designated to prepare an extensive description of the monument. This work was to be followed next by a monograph embodying all the details of Chandi Borobudur and the results of the various studies made. In the year (1873), Van Kinsbergen, an excellent art photographer, was invited to photograph parts of the sculptures which were of exceptional quality. He had first to remove earth and shrubs before he could evenstart selecting vantage points for his equipment. In 1882 a proposal to demolish the monument and remove the reliefs to a museum was submitted to the Government. This was considered to oradical. Instead, the Government appointed an archaeologist (Groeneveldt) to make a thorough investigation on the site and assess members were Van Erp, an army engineer officer, and Van de Kamer, a construction engineer in the Department of Public Works. Van de Kamer had earlier become known for his fantastic plan to shelter Chandi Borobudur from rain and sunshine by constructing a huge umbrella over it, made of galvanized iron plates and supported by 40 iron pillars, and estimated cost of 135,000 Dutch guilders. In 1885, the Chairman of the Archaeological Society in Yogyakarta, Yzerman, discovered the hidden reliefs at the base of the temple. These hidden reliefs revealed some Sanskrit instructions left for the carver, with a distinctive lettering that uncovered the date of the construction of the temple, was in the middle of the 9 century, the time when Sailendra dynasty ruled the area. In 1902 the Commission submited a three fold plan. First, the immediate dangers should be averted by resetting the corners, removing stones that endagered adjacent parts, straightening the first balustrade, and restoring several archways, niches, stupas and the main dome. Secondly, the improvements so obtained should be consolidated by fencing off the courtyard, providing proper maintenance and, above all, by making the water drains really effective and restoring the floors and spouts. Thirdly, all loose stones should be removed, the monument cleared up to the first balustrade, disfiguring additions also removed, and the spire of the big dome should be restored. The restoration then was carried out between 1907 and 1911, using the principles of anastylosis and led by Theodor van Erp. The first seven months of restoration were occupied with excavating the grounds around the monument to find missing Buddha heads and panel stones. Van Erp dismantled and rebuilt the upper three circular platforms and stupas. Along the way, Van Erp discovered more things he could do to improve the monument; which was approved with the additional cost of 34,600 guilders.
Van Erp went further by carefully reconstructing the chhatra (three - tiered parasol) pinnacle on top of the main stupa. However, he later dismantled the chhatra, citing that there were not enough original stones used in reconstructing the pinnacle, which means that the original design of Borobudur's pinnacle is actually unknown. The restoration had been primarily focused on cleaning the sculptures, and Van Erp did not solve the drainage problem. Within fifteen years, the gallery walls were sagging, and the reliefs showed signs of new cracks and deterioration. Van Erp used concrete from which alkali salts and calcium hydroxides leached and were transported into the rest of the construction.
During World War II and Indonesian National Revolution in 1945 to 1949, Borobudur restoration efforts were halted. The monument suffered further from the weather and drainage problems, which caused the earth core inside the temple to expand, pushing the stone structure and tilting the walls. In 1965, Indonesia asked the UNESCO for advice on ways to counteract the problem of weathering at Borobudur and other monuments. In 1968 Professor Soekmono, then head of the Archeological Service of Indonesia, launched his "Save Borobudur" campaign, in an effort to organize a massive restoration project. The restoration project started the response was prompt; as from 1968, experts from several countries came in turn to carry out on-site studies, in close cooperation with the Archaeological Institute and the various governmental agencies involved.
Chandi Borobudur faced imminent destruction through collapse of the structure and disintegration of the building stones; the only effective way of stopping infiltration and it was by making a complete reconstruction of the monument and introducing a properly-designed drainage system; and that surface treatment of the stone would not arrest the processes of decay but might, on the contrary, cause additional harm. Over one million stones were dismantled and removed during the restoration, and set aside like pieces of a massive jig-saw puzzle to be individually identified, catalogued, cleaned and treated for preservation. Borobudur became a testing ground for new conservation techniques, including new procedures to battle the microorganisms attacking the stone. The foundation was stabilized, and all 1,460 panels were cleaned. The restoration involved the dismantling of the five square platforms and the improvement of drainage by embedding water channels into the monument. Both impermeable and filter layers were added. This restoration project involved around 600 people to restore the monument and it cost a total of US$6,901,243. At first glance, Borobudur had been restored to its old glory. The Indonesian government and UNESCO then undertook the complete overhaul in a restoration project between 1975 and 1982. UNESCO gave support and commenced work to raise funds for the restoration. From 1968 to 1983, research through to restoration took place under UNESCO. Specialists from the world over came to assist in the dismantling, and re-engineering of the site. A great deal of work was also done to develop procedures to prevent the microorganisms eating away the stone. Finally, UNESCO listed Borobudur Temple as World Heritage Site in 1991.  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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