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| Candi Merak | |
|---|---|
 Main temple of Candi Merak | |
  Location within Java Show map of Java Merak Temple (Indonesia) Show map of Indonesia | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Central JavaneseCandi |
| Town or city | Klaten Regency,Central Java. |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Coordinates | 7°40′11″S110°33′05″E / 7.669735°S 110.551275°E /-7.669735; 110.551275 |
Merak temple, or locally known asCandi Merak, is a 10th-century JavaneseShivaistHindutemple complex located in Karangnongko village, inKlaten Regency, northwest from Klaten town,[1]Central Java, on southeastern slopes ofMount Merapi. The temple complex consisted of a main building and threeperwara (ancillary) temples, dating from the 9th or 10th century, from theMataram Kingdom.[2]
Near Candi Merak there are several temple ruins and archaeological sites, however — unlike Candi Merak — most are in ruins and incomplete, such asCandi Karangnongko,Candi Kriyan andCandi Bekelan.
Regarding the architectural styles, deities, yoni housed in main chamber and carving of this temples, the temple is dedicated toShiva and most probably constructed in 10th-century. The temple has been discovered in early 20th-century. A preliminary research has been conducted since 1925/1926 by archaeology authority ofDutch East Indies. The reconstruction project slowly conducted, and finished in 2011, although the top ratna pinnacle is still missing.[3]
The temple occupy 1,480 square meter area. The main temple has been completely reconstructed, and the condition of bas-reliefs and statues are quite well-preserved. The main temple faces east and the ruins of threeperwara temples located in front of the main temples. A flight of stairs located on east side, flanked by two of well-preservedmakara. Unlike makaras in other temples, the Candi Merak's makaras are unique, its trunks is shaped as cobra-likeNāga, creating a makara-naga chimera. The stairs took visitors to its main portals adorned on top of it withKala's head. Inside the main chamber there is ayoni with naga's head carved on northern side. It used to be a stonelingam erected upon this yoni, however it is now missing.
On the outer walls on each cardinal points there are three niches. The niche of west wall contains a statue ofGanesha, the northern niche store a statue ofDurga Mahisasuramardini (Durga slaying the bull-demon), the southern niches is empty, but it is most likely that the niche used to contains a statue ofAgastya. The statue of Ganesha although damaged are quite complete, the statue of Durga however is damaged, its head is missing, probably being looted. The roof are pyramidal, arranged in three receding terraces. Each of these terraces contains row of ratna pinnacles. The antefixes with deities' head projected upon in are surrounding the edges of the stepped roofs. The shapes of ratna and the style of antefixes with deities' head is similar to those ofGebang temple in northernYogyakarta.
7°40′00″S110°32′59″E / 7.666667°S 110.549722°E /-7.666667; 110.549722
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