Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong

It wasn't in my original agenda, but my driver, sensing a theme in my travels, suggested we take a detour into the hills above Semarang to visit the Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong temple complex. It's an unusual complex in that it is very new, built entirely in the second half of the 20th Century. It was constructed by an Indonesian Buddhist of Chinese ancestory who wanted to create a temple area to rival other great Indonesian temples. The complex was also created to serve as a center for Buddhist education and worship.

The Pagoda Avalokitesvara is the tallest pagoda structure in Indonesia at a height of 45 meters.  It is reminiscent in design of the great pagodas of China and Japan.

The Dhammasala Temple contains a noble 5 meter high bronze Buddha and has a prayer hall with an exquisite sky light and space for 1000 pilgrims to pray.  It is unusual in its architecture in that it intentionally avoids all references to Javan style.  Though this temple complex has little historical significance, I suspect that its beautiful and clean modern aesthetic will cause it to gain prominence as the years go by.