Bali Info _ the Island of a Thousand Temples

Balinese culture is unique in the world. It has developed over more than a thousand years and represents a hybrid of various tribal practices, mysticism and traditional Hinduism. The number and variety of special ceremonies, practices and traditions on the island are remarkable and interesting. The local people maintain a tight-knit community that works to perpetuate and promote religiousness, piety and preservation of ancient ways. From the interesting culinary practices,special cultural artifactsto distinct ways of dress, the Balinese are fascinating.

One thing is for sure, you cannot go anywhere in Bali without catching a glimpse of a beautiful and magnificent temple complex. Cities, palaces, villages and even private homes all have some form of temple (pura) erected for the worship of the gods and of ones’ ancestors. A temple in Bali is can be constructed in various ways with differing levels of sophistication. The temples are made up of a series of concentric or interconnecting zones or compounds surrounded by high walls. The area inside these compounds consists of shrines, towers and different pavilions (bale). The architecture in Balinese temples are made of classic red brick and intricate stone carvings with iconic split gates, towers,  plenty of statues, elaborate wooden structures and both thatched grass and terracotta roofs.

Temples in Bali are located in different geographic locations for differing reasons and to appease specific deities or facing certain directions in order to protect the island from evil spirits. The temples all have a specific function and are visited at different times in the year. The really incredible thing about Bali is that there are many sacred and important temples that were built an astonishingly long time ago. There are several temples built more than 1,000 years ago and some that are several centuries old. There are few places in the world you can visit that feature so many ancient relics.

Nominated a world heritage site, the mother temple of Besakih in Karangasem regency is positioned on the side of Mount Agung (the principal volcano in Bali) at over 1,000 meters in elevation and is considered the most important temple in Bali. Besakih was built in the 14^th century and consists of 22 different and distinct sections with dozens of temples, courtyards, gates, walkways and a throne all surrounded by incredible views.

Pura Tirta Empul is a remarkable temple in the foothills of the mountains on the way to Kintamani. It was built in 926 A.D. on a site with a large water spring. The temple is famous as a place for the Balinese to go for ritual purification.

Taman Ayun is a fabulous ‘family temple’ built in 1634 by the King of Mengwi. Located just outside of Tabanan, Taman Ayun is a “beautiful garden” temple generally considered one of the most magnificent in Bali. The wide, terraced grounds are meticulously maintained and are surrounded by waterways, ponds and bridges.

Said to have been established in the 11^th century, Goa Lawah, or the “Bat Cave”, is considered to be one of the nine directional temples in Bali. Goa Lawah is home to a large community of bats. The temple can easily be visited as a stop on the way to Candidasa.

There are more temples in Bali including perhaps the most iconic of all, Tanah Lot. Said to have been built in the 1500’s, Tanah Lot is the focus of an annual Balinese pilgrimage and an important ‘sea temple’.