Besakih Temple

The Mother Temple of Besakih, or Pura Besakih, in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, is the most important temple of Agama Hindu Dharma in Bali, Indonesia and one of a series of Balinese temples.

The temple probably dates to the fourteenth century. It was built on the south slopes of Mount Agung, the principle volcano of Bali. The temple is actually a complex made up of twenty-two temples that sit on parallel ridges. It has stepped terraces and flights of stairs which ascend to a number of courtyards and brick gateways that lead up to the main spired meru structure, which is called Pura Penataran Agung. All this is aligned on a single axis and designed to lead the spiritual upward and closer to the mountain which is considered sacred