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The Beauty of Sojiwan Temple Tourism and Its History

Sojiwan Temple Tourism: Perhaps not many people have heard of it, especially when asked where it is located. Indeed, Sojiwan Temple is not as well-known as Prambanan Temple, let alone Borobudur Temple. It's actually not far from Prambanan Temple, taking perhaps half an hour on foot. Recently restored in 2011, this temple is relatively new compared to the other temples. What's most striking about this temple is its similar shape to Prambanan: tall with a pyramid-like structure on top, but the upper part of the temple consists of stupas similar to those at Borobudur. It could be said that this temple is like a "marriage" between Prambanan and Borobudur. This temple is situated within a fairly extensive complex with beautiful, well-maintained gardens. It turns out that this complex was only inaugurated after being restored in December 2011 by the Minister of Education and Culture, Mohammad Nuh. Initially, this temple was only a half-finished structure that looked like a ...

Umbul Sigedang in Klaten, Once Lots of Banana Trees and Ancient Mataram Statues

Umbul Sigedang is one of the natural baths (umbul) in Klaten Regency, Central Java. This umbul is within the Umbul Sigedang-Kapilaler tourist area. As the name implies, another umbul here is Umbul Kapilaler. Umbul Sigedang is a pond located on the north side. 

Umbul Sigedang in Klaten, Once Lots of Banana Trees and Ancient Mataram Statues

The source of this umbul also comes from a spring. The depth of Umbul Sigedang, at its deepest, is 180 centimeters (cm). However, there is a shallow pool for children. When visiting the Umbul Sigedang-Kapilaler area, tourists only need to pay one ticket of IDR 10,000 for two tubs.

Umbul Sigedang used to have many banana trees and statues According to the information written in Umbul Sigedang, it turns out that there used to be many banana trees around this umbul. That is the origin of the name Sigedang from the Javanese word gedhang which means banana. In addition, back in the 1980s, there were many statues found around Umbul Sigedang.

Umbul Sigedang in Klaten, Once Lots of Banana Trees and Ancient Mataram Statues

The statues are thought to have come from the Ancient Mataram Kingdom, which at that time had a Hindu-Buddhist character. For information, Umbul Sigedang-Kapilaler is located in Dukuh Umbulsari, Ponggok Village, Polanharjo District, Klaten Regency. Not far from the Umbul Sigedang-Kapilaler complex, there is another famous umbul, namely Umbul Ponggok.

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Umbul Ponggok, Klaten Artificial Snorkeling Feels Like the Beach

Ponggok Village, located in Klaten Regency, Indonesia , has a long history dating back over 100 years. In the 1920s, the village was known for its industrial activity, thanks to the presence of the Ponggok Sugar Factory. This factory, along with other sugar factories in the area, brought many Dutch families to live in Ponggok as employees. The village was administratively part of the Ponggok Kawedanan at that time. However, the economic and socio-political crises of the 1930s, as well as Indonesia's struggle for independence, led to the closure of the sugar factories, including the Ponggok Sugar Factory. Today, one of the remnants of this former industrial glory is Umbul Ponggok. Umbul Ponggok was originally a spring that was transformed into a water reservoir to supply the operational needs of the Ponggok Sugar Factory and the Karanganom Sugar Factory. It also served as irrigation for the nearby sugar cane plantations. Despite the closure of the factories, the Ponggok water reserv...

The Enchantment of Sojiwan Temple in Prambanan Klaten, the Relief is Rich in Stories and Moral Messages

Sojiwan Temple is located in Kebon Dalem Kidul Village, Prambanan District, Prambanan Regency. This temple is one of the Buddhist temples included in the Prambanan area. Based on some research, Sojiwan Temple was built at the same time as the nearby temples, namely in the IX-X centuries AD. The Central Java Cultural Heritage Preservation Center has finished restoring and organizing the environment to make the temple so beautiful. Sojiwan Temple is unique. This uniqueness comes from several relief panels that tell animal stories. If understood more deeply, these stories convey moral messages that are timeless. These moral messages are also very useful for daily life.  After the research, there were some interesting findings. One of them is the traveling ditch. Some of these ditches are located in residential areas. Inside the perimeter ditch, statues, temple foundations, fence structures, temple stones (loose), structures and temple stones were found around the residential area loca...

Sidoguro Hill in Klaten, a Hit Tourist Spot Similar to Singapore's Gardens by the Bay

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