History of the Bima Temple

Friday July 1 2022

Bima Dieng Temple, separated from other temple

Dieng

Dieng is a highland area in Central Java, which is part of the Banjarnegara Regency and Wonosobo Regency. It is located in the west of the Mount Sindoro and Mount Sumbing complexes. People never get tired of talking about and discussing the location of this highland, there are many kinds of tours offered in this place, and the distance between each of these attractions is not that far apart. Many tourists think that Dieng is only famous for its lake tourism and crater tours, but who would have thought that there are historical attractions that we should not miss when visiting the Dieng plateau.

History Tour

Usually somewhere there is a history that underlies the place to be known or remembered, one of which is the Dieng Plateau. There are many historical backgrounds that became the milestones of the beginning of this area such as the early history of the formation of the Dieng Plateau which started from the Ancient Prau Mountain which erupted and caused landslides around the mountain which formed the Dieng Plateau and formed several hills and other small mountains.

In addition to the history of the early formation of the Dieng plateau, there is also a history of the temple which is thought to have been built in the 8th century. Dieng Temple is a collection of temples located at the foot of the Dieng mountains, Wonosobo, Central Java. The Dieng Temple area occupies a plain at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, extending in a north-south direction about 1900 m with a width of 800 m. is the oldest temple in Java.

The temples in the Candi Dieng area are divided into 3 groups and 1 independent temple which is named after the name of the character in the wayang story adopted from the Mahabharata. The three temple groups are the Arjuna Group, the Gatotkaca Group, the Dwarawati Group and one independent temple is Bima Temple.

Bima Temple

Bima Temple is the largest temple building among a collection of temples in Dieng that has been found. Bima Temple is located alone on a hill and is isolated from other temple buildings. This building resembles a temple building in India which consists of three levels. The foot of the temple has a square base plan measuring 4.55 m x 4.55 m, but because on each side there is a slightly protruding viewer, it is as if the basic plan of Bima Temple is in the shape of an octagon.

The viewer at the front protrudes about 1.5 m, serves as a viewing booth to the main room in the body of the temple. The performers on the other three sides form niches where the statues are placed. Currently everything is empty. None of the statues are still left.

Location Access

To visit Bima Temple is very easy, Bima Dieng Temple is located in another Dieng tourist area, right next to the entrance to the Sikidang Dieng Crater tourist attraction and not far from Telaga Warna and Dieng Theater. If from Telaga Warna, you will pass a T-junction, go right to Sikidang Crater, Candi Bima, while to the left go to Dieng Theater. turn left until you find another T-junction, go left towards Sikidang Crater while straight towards Arjuna temple complex. The location of the temple is next to the T-junction.

Meanwhile, there is no charge for admission to the Bima temple, and parking fees are also not collected. and although to enter the location of this temple is free and the package is cheap, visitors are expected to maintain and care for the cleanliness of this temple location. because the age of the Bima Dieng Temple is indeed very old and more than 1000 years ago and there have been many holes and shifts between the temple rocks caused by volcanic vibrations and earthquakes or age factors. The visitors are expected to maintain the preservation of this temple by complying with the regulations that have been made, not scribbling on the temple rocks or climbing the temple walls.