Ulun Danu Batur - the Surviving Temple

Surviving two eruptions of Mount Batur, the first in 1917 and then the devastating eruption of 1926, the main sanctuary Pura Ulun Danu Batur was moved to Kintamani, in the ancient part of the northern side of the island. The wondrous Hindu building dedicated to the god Vishnu and the water goddess Dewi Danu, which can now be admired at the foot of the caldera of the mountain on Batur Lake, the island’s largest, is the result of a reconstruction completed in only one year. A lush and well-tended garden welcomes visitors at the entrance to this complex comprised of nine temples with 285 different sanctuaries, considered the foundation of the society and culture of Bali, each dedicated to a divinity that governs the various aspects of life - from water to agriculture, from art to craftsmanship. Pura Ulun Danu Batur (Temple of the Spring of the Lake) is the inner sanctuary (jero) of the principal temple Pura Penataran Agung Batur, a meru sanctuary of 11 levels, dedicated to the goddess Shiva. If you plan a trip to Bali between the end of March and the start of April, you can witness the Odalan, the main celebration of Pura Batur which is held every tenth full moon (Purnama Kedasa) on the calendar. What makes Pura Batur a particularly fascinating location is its position nestled in the green mountains reflected in the surface of Batur Lake. For this, it was included, with another three locations on the island, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.