Borobudur is the Buddhist temple in Indonesia that is the largest of its kind in the world and a World Heritage Site.
Located in Central Java, Borobudur was built during the reign of the Sailendra dynasty, probably in the eighth or ninth century. Its design rises through nine stacked platforms—six square and three circular—toward a central stupa, symbolizing the Buddhist path toward enlightenment.
The monument contains 2,672 carved relief panels and originally held 504 Buddha statues. Its upper terraces are surrounded by 72 perforated stupas, each containing a seated Buddha figure. Pilgrims traditionally move through the galleries while following the reliefs in a prescribed sequence.
Borobudur was gradually abandoned after the decline of Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in Java and became widely known internationally after its rediscovery was reported in 1814. A major restoration completed in 1983 helped secure its preservation, and UNESCO inscribed the Borobudur Temple Compounds as a World Heritage Site in 1991. It is sometimes confused with Angkor Wat, but Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia.