Panataran Travel Guide
Panataran is a huge temple complex near Blitar in southern East Java. It is the largest structure of its type in the province and dates from the late 12th century.
- What is It?
- The largest temple complex in East Java.
- When to Go
- April/May to September/October for the best weather.
- Nearest Town
- Blitar, a few kilometers away.
- Don't Miss
- the Moon of Pejeng gong.
- Trivia
- Panataran was constructed between 1197 and 1454 AD and is the largest temple structure in East Java.
Candi Panataran was over 250 years in the making (1197 to 1454 AD) and is Javanese Hindu in origin. Numerous buildings were erected over this time, including the main temple in 1347, and they feature a plethora of bas-reliefs depicting the Ramayana. King Hayam Wuruk visited the temple many times during the Majapahit era.
Reliefs depict swords, spears and daggers, along with other weapons, and are similar to those of Candi Prambanan. The main sight in Panataran is the Moon of Pejeng kettledrum, or gong, in Pura Panataran Sasih temple. It is the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 1.5m in diameter, and can be found on the Bedulu-Pejeng road. The gong is beautifully decorated and dates from around 300 BC.
Travel to Panataran - Getting There
The nearest major airport to Panataran is Surabaya, 100kms to the north, while Abdulrahman Saleh Military Airport (in Malang) is just 50kms to the east and has flights from Jakarta, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The Jalan Malang-Blitar highway provides direct access to Blitar from Malang, with regular buses taking about 2 hours.
