Mendut Temple

Mendut is a Buddhist temple, located in Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The temple located about three kilometres east from Borobudur. Mendut is the oldest of the three temples including Pawon and Borobudur.Mendut Templewas built and finished during the reign of King Indra of Sailendra dynasty. The inscription dated 824 AD mentioned that King Indra of Sailendra has built a sacred building named Venuvana which means "bamboo forest". In 1836 it was discovered as a ruins covered with bushes. The restoration of this temple was started at 1897 and it was finished at 1925.

The 26.4 metres tall temple is facing west. The stairs projecting from the west side square elevated base is adorned with Makara statue on each sides, the side of the stairwall carved with bas-relief of fable narrating the animal story of buddhist teaching. The square terrace surrounding the body of the temple was meant for pradakshina or circumambulating ritual, walking clockwise around the temple. The outer walls is adorned with bas-reliefs of Boddhisattvas (buddhist divinities), such as Avalokitesvara, Maitreya, Cunda, Ksitigarbha, Samantabhadra, Mahakarunika Avalokitesvara, Vajrapani, Manjusri, Akasagarbha, and Boddhisattvadevi Prajnaparamita among other buddhist figures. So if you visit this temple, you can also see Borobudur and Pawon Temple.