Borobudur

Timeline

1. c. 780–824Central Java · JavaThe Syailendra dynasty built Borobudur in central Java; nine square terraces and a central dome form a Buddhist mandala, with a relief system narrating the Buddha's jatakas, the bodhisattva path, and Pure Land faith, making it one of Southeast Asia's largest Buddhist monuments.
2. 1000–1400Central Java · JavaThe eastward shift of Java's political center, the spread of Islam, and eruptions of Mount Merapi led to Borobudur's gradual abandonment; parts of the structure were covered by volcanic ash and jungle, its religious function ceasing while the stone mass endured.
3. 1421–1430Central Java · JavaAt this time the Majapahit kingdom ruled eastern Java, and the Buddhist ruins of central Java were no longer used by the local mainstream faith; Borobudur may already have been half-buried in volcanic ash, with local people holding only vague legends about its builders, until its systematic rediscovery in the 19th century.