Buddha Temples exist in many countries with many of them found in Thailand in particular. Buddha temples were built in ancient times in honor of Buddha and these are places the people worship Buddha in. What is the largest Buddha Temple in the world?
There are so many Buddha Temples, some of which are just sizeable but others are really very large.
These Buddha temples have become tourist attractions in the world given how beautifully constructed they are.
The think of the largest Buddha Temple and not wonder the architectural masterclass that must have been put into is not something that is possible. This means that it is imperative to know which is the largest Buddha Temple in the world for your tourism purposes.
So, in this article, stepcountry.com takes on a virtual tour of the largest Buddha Temple in the world for an idea of what is in stock for you when you finally decide to visit the largest Buddha Temple in the world.
What is the largest Buddha Temple?
As mentioned before, there are several Buddha Temples in the world.
Haeinsa Temple, Wat Arun, Pha That Luang, Jokhang, Todaiji Temple, Boudhanath, Mahabodhi Temple, Shwedagon Pagoda, Bagan, Borobudur, are all popular Buddha temples, but which is the largest Buddha Temple in the world? This is what is under consideration in this article.
Read on as we take you on the virtual tour of the largest Buddha temple.
Largest Buddha temple in the world
The largest Buddha temple in the world is the Borobudur located in Magelang Regency, which is not far from the town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indonesia.
Borobudur is a 7th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Indonesia.
The Borobudur Buddha temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circulars, topped by a central dome.
It is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.
The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa.
Built during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple design follows Javanese Buddhist architecture, which blends the Indonesian indigenous tradition of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.
Borobudur Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, ranking with Bagan in Myanmar and Angkor Wat in Cambodia as one of the great archeological sites of Southeast Asia.
Borobudur remains popular for pilgrimage, with Buddhists in Indonesia celebrating Vesak Day at the monument.
Borobudur is Indonesia’s single most visited tourist attraction.
History of the construction of the largest Buddha temple
There are not many records that clarify the initial purpose of the construction of the Borobudur Temple, and information is scanty about when exactly the construction started and the duration it took to complete this magnificent edifice.
Borobudur was likely founded around 800 AD, which corresponds to the period between 760 and 830 AD, the peak of the Sailendra dynasty rule over Mataram kingdom in central Java when their power encompassed not only the Srivijayan Empire but also southern Thailand, Indianized kingdoms of the Philippines, and North Malaya.
Construction of Buddhist temples, including Borobudur, at that time, was possible because Sanjaya’s immediate successor, Rakai Panangkaran, granted his permission to the Buddhist followers to build such temples.
What is the largest Buddha temple, Borobudur used for?
The temple was used as a Buddhist temple from its construction until sometime between the 10th and 15th centuries when it was abandoned.
Since its re-discovery in the 19th century and restoration in the 20th century, it has been brought back into a Buddhist archaeological site.
Following its capture, Java was under British administration from 1811 to 1816.
The appointed governor was Lieutenant Governor-General Thomas Stamford Raffles, who took great interest in the history of Java.
Borobudur awards
The largest temple in the world, Borobudur has developed into a favorite tourist destination for many people around the world. It attracts millions of tourists every year.
As such, the magnificent construction has been recognized with several awards.
International tourism awards were given to Borobudur archaeological park, such as PATA Grand Pacific Award 2004, PATA Gold Award Winner 2011, and PATA Gold Award Winner 2012.
In June 2012, Borobudur was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest Buddhist archaeological site.
