Sambisari

Sambisari is an archaeological site in Indonesia that preserves a Hindu temple complex from Central Java’s classical period. It is located in Sambisari village, Purwomartani district, Sleman Regency, within the Yogyakarta Special Region, about 9 to 12 kilometers northeast of central Yogyakarta. The temple is set in a flat paddy field and is one of several medieval temples discovered in the region.

The temple is dated to the 9th or early 10th century, during the Medang Kingdom (also known as the Mataram Kingdom). It is generally regarded as a Hindu shrine dedicated to a major deity, commonly identified with Vishnu, reflecting Central Javanese temple-building traditions of that era. The complex originally comprised a main sanctum (garbhagriha) on a raised platform and several surrounding subsidiary shrines.

Sambisari lay buried under volcanic ash from the nearby Merapi volcano, reportedly following an eruption in the late first millennium CE. The temple remained concealed for centuries beneath the surrounding fields until its rediscovery by farmers in 1966 during drainage works. Archaeological excavations soon followed, revealing a largely intact plan and enabling limited restoration. In subsequent decades, the site has been stabilized and opened to visitors, with protective measures and explanatory displays developed to preserve the ruin and inform the public about its historical context.

Architecturally, Sambisari displays features typical of Central Javanese temple architecture of the period, including a square plan, a stepped base, and decorative reliefs. The site provides valuable insight into urban and religious life in northern Yogyakarta during the transition from the 9th to 10th centuries and underscores the impact of natural disasters on temple burial and later rediscovery.