About this place

About Sambisari Temple

Sambisari Temple is a Hindu sanctuary built during the Mataram Kingdom era, believed to date from the 9th century. It lies in Purwomartani, Kalasan, in the Sleman regency north-east of Yogyakarta city.

The temple was buried under volcanic material from an eruption of Mount Merapi and lay hidden for centuries until a farmer uncovered part of its structure in 1966. Excavation revealed a main shrine dedicated to Shiva, surrounded by three smaller perwara temples, sitting roughly six metres below the current ground level.

That sunken setting is what makes Sambisari distinctive: visitors descend into a wide grassy courtyard ringed by a low stone wall, with the main temple rising in the centre — a different vantage point from the elevated temples elsewhere in the region.

Because it draws fewer crowds than Prambanan or Borobudur, Sambisari is a good stop for travelers who want to see Central Javanese temple architecture at a slower pace, often paired with a broader Yogyakarta heritage tour.

Sambisari Temple