Borobudur Stupa

Timeline

1. 750Borobudur construction site · JavaThe Sailendra royal house oversaw the building of Borobudur at the foot of Mount Merapi, using large quantities of stone and craftsmen, integrating Indian Buddhist cosmology and Javanese local traditions through a mandala structure of stacked square terraces and surrounding galleries.
2. c. 800–850Borobudur · IndonesiaAfter completion the stupa became a Mahayana Buddhist pilgrimage center, with devotees climbing along a spiral path to read the Buddha's life, jataka tales, and Pure Land ideas depicted in the reliefs; it also reflects the spread of the Srivijaya cultural sphere in Java.
3. 1400–1973Borobudur · IndonesiaAfter the Middle Ages the stupa was buried by jungle and volcanic ash; after its rediscovery in the 19th century UNESCO led a large-scale restoration, and it was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991.