Pura Gunung Kawi

About

It’s believed that Pura Gunung Kawi is the 11th century tomb of King Udayana and the Warmadewa Dynasty. A few hundred stone stairs lead visitors past rice terraces and into a verdant river valley and the temple complex, where visitors must sprinkle themselves with holy water before entering. The 10 famed rock shrines, known locally as candi, are carved into 8 meter tall niches in high relief, with each memorializing a royal family member, or, according to another theory, Anak Wungsu, his wives and concubines, and a favoured minister. According to legend, the entire memorial group was carved in a singly night by Kebo Iwa using only his fingernails. Small caves were also carved into the stone to provide monks with a secluded place to meditate. Please note: as this is a holy site, a sarong is required - they are available at the ticket office if you don’t have one.