🏔️ Pura Besakih (Mother Temple of Bali)
Indonesia
About This Sacred Site
Pura Besakih, known as the 'Mother Temple,' is the holiest and largest Hindu temple complex in Bali, situated on the slopes of Mount Agung, the island's highest and most sacred volcano. The complex comprises 23 separate but related temples spread across six levels on the mountainside, with Pura Penataran Agung as the central and most important temple. Balinese Hindus believe Mount Agung is a replica of Mount Meru, the cosmic center of the universe. The temple complex survived the catastrophic 1963 eruption of Mount Agung virtually unscathed, which locals interpreted as a divine sign.
Key Facts
- •The largest and holiest Hindu temple in Bali, comprising 23 separate temples
- •Situated on the slopes of Mount Agung, Bali's highest volcano at 3,031 meters
- •Survived the catastrophic 1963 eruption of Mount Agung, which locals saw as a miracle
- •Dates back over 1,000 years, with origins in prehistoric animist worship
- •Every Balinese Hindu temple is symbolically connected to Besakih
Location
Coordinates: -8.3739, 115.4520
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