Description of the attraction
Gebang Temple is a Hindu temple, or mandir (in Sanskrit "mandira" is a dwelling, dwelling), which was built in the VIII century. The temple is located on the outskirts of the city of Yogyakarta and was built during the time when the kingdom of Mataram existed, which was also called the kingdom of Medang.
There is no exact historical information about the temple, but the height of the building's base indicates that the structure was built in 730-800 AD. The Gebang Temple was opened in 1936, or rather, first archaeologists discovered a statue of Ganesha, or Ganapati, the god of wisdom and prosperity in Hinduism. Excavations continued and archaeologists found that this statue was part of a small stone structure. During further excavations, the ruins of the temple were discovered. In addition, archaeologists have discovered other artifacts, among which were pottery, figurines, and a stone box. The temple was named after the Gebang village.
Unfortunately, during the excavation, the walls and roof of the temple were damaged, but the foundation remained intact. But there was an eruption of the Merapi volcano, which is considered the most active active volcano in Indonesia, and the temple was completely destroyed by the mudflow. In 1937, the reconstruction of the temple began, which lasted until 1939.
The architecture of the temple fully reflects the elements of the architecture of Hindu temples. The height of the temple is 7, 75 meters, the foundation of the temple has the shape of a square, the dimensions of which are 5, 25 m by 5, 25 m. The entrance to the temple is located on the east side, there are no steps to the entrance, or perhaps they were made of wood and dilapidated. If we compare other Hindu temples that are in the neighborhood in Yogyakarta, then the Gebang temple has its own unique architectural style: the roof of the temple is decorated with the small-sized heads of deities that seem to appear from the window, and statues of virgins in small niches.
