Explore
The Inner Courtyard is the most sacred central zone of Prambanan. It houses the massive main temples dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti.
This central square contains the largest and most significant structures of the 9th-century complex. The main temples are dedicated to Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu. Directly facing them are smaller shrines built for their respective animal vehicles.
You will need about 90 minutes to fully explore the structures in this zone. Keep in mind that access to certain main temple platforms may be restricted on Mondays for maintenance.
30-40 minutesCenter of courtyard
This is the largest and most central temple in the complex, reaching 47 meters (154 feet) in height. Dedicated to Shiva the Destroyer, it contains the most detailed Ramayana relief carvings. Walk the galleries in a clockwise direction (Pradakshina) to follow the Ramayana story in the correct order.
15-20 minutesSouth of Shiva temple
Located to the south of the Shiva temple, this structure is dedicated to Brahma the Creator. The relief carvings here continue the narrative from the Shiva temple. They depict the final chapters of the Ramayana epic.
15-20 minutesNorth of Shiva temple
This temple sits to the north of the Shiva temple and is dedicated to Vishnu the Preserver. Take a moment to admire the specific relief panels found here. They depict the story of Lord Krishna.
10 minutesNandi statue
This smaller shrine directly faces the Shiva temple. It houses a remarkably well-preserved statue of Nandi, the sacred bull. This is the only shrine in the complex where the main deity's animal vehicle (vahana) is so prominently displayed.
