PRAMBANAN, INDONESIA, May 29, 2006: Indonesia’s earthquake badly damaged the famous Prambanan temple complex, sending intricate stone carvings crashing to the ground and destroying years of restoration work in less than a minute. Recognized as a UN world heritage site, the 9th-century Hindu temple and the nearby Borobudur Buddhist complex are respective reminders of the rich past of the world’s most populous Muslim nation. About 1 million people visit them every year. The 7th-century Buddhist complex, farther from the epicenter of Saturday’s 6.3-magnitude quake, appeared to have escaped harm. But large chunks of walls and carvings lay scattered yesterday at the foot of the eight main Prambanan shrines. Pieces of small temples also broke. “It will take months to identify the precise damage,” said Agus Waluyo, of Yogyakarta Archaeological Conservation Agency. He said the site would be closed to the public until archaeologists can determine if the quake damaged the foundation or tilted the shrines. Watching the sun set or rise from the compounds is an Indonesian vacation highlight, along with the beaches and nightlife of nearby Bali. Both temples are near the ancient city of Yogyakarta. Not long after Javanese rulers built Prambanan, it was abandoned for unknown reasons. Enveloped by thick jungle, it was discovered in the 18th century by Indonesia’s Dutch colonial rulers. Reconstruction began in 1918. Work on the main shrine was completed in 1952. Ongoing restoration on the others was undone by the quake. Hundreds sell goods outside the compound’s gates. “Everyone around here is shocked,” said coconut vendor Theresa.
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