Borobudur was built on a small hill in the Kedu Basin, a rich, fertile valley surrounded by spectacular volcanoes. To the east lie Merapi and Merbabu and to the north lies Sumbing and Sindoro. The unusual jagged Menoreh Hills encircle the temple to the South and West. The temple is also located near the meeting place of two rivers, the Elo and the Progo. These rivers are believed to be symbolic of the Gangga and Yamuna, the two rivers feeding the Indus valley in India. The location was most likely chosen for its central location and expansive views.
Borobudur lies directly south of Tidar Hill, a small knob on the valley floor which according to myth nailed the island of Java in place. We get a sense of the grandness of the landscape when we rise to the final terrace of the monument which opens up into a 360 degree view of the magnificent valley. This feeling of freedom and openness evokes the sense of spiritual release that occurs in Buddhist philosophy when one enters the Arupadhatu, the sphere of enlightenment which is manifested on the final terrace of the monument.
Borobudur lies directly south of Tidar Hill, a small knob on the valley floor which according to myth nailed the island of Java in place. We get a sense of the grandness of the landscape when we rise to the final terrace of the monument which opens up into a 360 degree view of the magnificent valley. This feeling of freedom and openness evokes the sense of spiritual release that occurs in Buddhist philosophy when one enters the Arupadhatu, the sphere of enlightenment which is manifested on the final terrace of the monument.
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