Art in the complex of Borobudur

Hi friends!

It is interesting to consider the monuments of art and culture of different countries. Today we will get acquainted with a very beautiful temple complex, which is located almost in the center of the island of Java. Artificial hill with beautiful architecture the famous Borobudur.

Sitting Buddha on the upper tier of Borobudur

If you look at Borobudur, you want to call it not the world of architecture, but the world of sculptures. The whole temple complex is very densely covered with sculptures and reliefs on the walls. All the time I look at such stone statues of beauty and I wonder why such structures are not on our territory. How different is the culture of art in different nationalities. As in certain areas is highly developed craft of stone carving. This is a very difficult task!

Borobudur. The Valley Of Kedu. Central Java

If you look near Borobudur, then it is impossible to see all the splendor of architecture. But the ancient people were able to build such a giant! This is what should be the imagination and accurate calculation forms. The project had to be drawn and reproduced. A distinctive feature of the temple complex is that you need to look at it either from a bird's eye view or from a mountain. Then you can see all the splendor and beauty in the community of architectural structures.

Look at the plan of the structure of the temple complex. This is a very interesting structure!

Twenty-angle structure, which is built so that there is a big difference between the top and bottom of the structure. The upper part is a circle, and the lower part is close to the square. We can generally say that the temple complex has an intricate conical shape. The dynamics of which is expressed by the contrast of the upper and lower parts. The richness of the temple gives an abundance of sculptures. I have this causes a sense of movement on spiral life. Very interesting building! Long looked and realized that the whole plan of the temple Borobudur like a mandala.

Plan-section of Borobudur

Very interesting section of the temple complex. You can take a look at the pictures. You need to go a long way to be in the Central temple.

Borobudur. The upper wall of the first gallery

Scientists have not been able to accurately determine when the temple complex was built. Presumably VII-IX century.

Borobudur. View from the South-West

Borobudur is a sacred place for Mahayana Buddhism. Until now, pilgrims come here to pass the path of ascent. They touch each Buddha on all tiers and pass all tiers seven times. They say it brings happiness.

Borobudur. Wall fragment

In 1814, archaeologists found the temple complex Borobudur, which was half-covered with land and vegetation. Work on the restoration of the Church was carried out for a long time.

Borobudur. Arch above the stairs of the third gallery

The temple complex was restored for many years. Many sculptures and wall reliefs were looted. At one time they even wanted to disassemble the whole complex and move it to another place to make a Museum. Restoration took place under the protection of UNESCO from 1973 to 1984.

Borobudur. Top elevation: the scene at the trayastrimsa heaven. Lower relief: scene from Avadana

In 1940, the Dutch artist put forward the idea that the Borobudur temple was built in the form of a floating Lotus with a seated Buddha. Further studies have shown that there was once a lake (VII-XIV). Temple Borobudur really, according to the researcher Murwanto symbolized the Lotus.

Borobudur. The outer wall of the first gallery

The volume of the temple complex Borobudur takes about 55,000 cubic meters. It is built of 2,000,000 stone blocks

Borobudur. The Washing Of Buddha Shakyamuni. Fragment

We have reviewed the history of such a magnificent monument, which we can see today. All sculptures and bas-reliefs, as well as the entire structure is admirable. This is an example of ancient art on the island of Java the VII-IX centuries, we can see some sculptures and reliefs of the walls to slightly touch the history of ancient people.