About Ngawen Temple
Ngawen Temple is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple complex located in Ngawen village, Muntilan, Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Situated east of Mendut Temple and near Borobudur, it consists of five temples aligned north-south, of which one is well preserved. Notable for its lion statues and detailed stone carvings, the site reflects Sailendra-era architecture and is protected as a cultural heritage site.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a small, quiet archaeological compound in a rural village setting containing five temple bases aligned north-south. One temple is largely intact and features distinctive lion statues flanking the entrance and ornate kala and relief carvings. The other four remain as foundations and ruins. The site is open-air with grassy grounds, information boards, and views of surrounding village and fields. It is typically uncrowded and explored on foot.
Key highlights
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Complex of five Buddhist temples aligned north-south
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Well-preserved northern temple with distinctive lion statues
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8th-9th century Sailendra-period stone architecture and carvings
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Part of the Borobudur-Mendut-Pawon Buddhist temple corridor
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Quiet rural setting with archaeological ruins and information displays
History of Ngawen Temple
Built in the late 8th to early 9th century during the Sailendra / early Medang Mataram period, Ngawen Temple is a Mahayana Buddhist complex contemporary with Borobudur, Mendut and Pawon. Its five-temple layout and lion statues are distinctive features of Central Java's classical period. The site was restored in the 20th century and is designated as a cultural heritage site.
Culture & Context
The temple represents Mahayana Buddhism in Central Java and forms part of the sacred Buddhist landscape centered on Borobudur. Its lion guardians, Buddhist iconography and architectural style illustrate the religious art and beliefs of the period and it remains an educational and cultural heritage site for visitors.
Route
| By air |
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