Culture & History4 min read·
Candi Kedulan: The Temple Buried 8 Meters in Kalasan
Candi Kedulan in Kalasan, Sleman was found by sand miners in 1993, buried 8 meters deep. Here is its history, inscriptions, and visitor information.
Candi Kedulan sits in Dusun Kedulan, Tirtomartani Village, Kalasan District, Sleman Regency, about 12 kilometers northeast of central Yogyakarta.
The site sits close to the Wareng River, on land lower than its surroundings. That’s not just a geographic detail — it’s a key part of the story behind how this temple vanished for centuries in the first place.
A Lost Temple Rediscovered by Sand Miners
In 1993, a group of sand miners digging on communal land in Tirtomartani village hit a formation of stone blocks about three meters down. One of the workers reported the find, and a follow-up investigation by archaeological authorities revealed the blocks were part of an entire buried temple complex.
Stratigraphic analysis later showed the temple had been sealed under roughly eight meters of lahar, built up across fifteen distinct sediment layers. That number tells you the burial didn’t happen all at once — it built up gradually across centuries of Mount Merapi eruptions, with strong evidence pointing to a major eruption around the early 11th century.
The good news: about 85 percent of the temple’s original stone was recoverable, even if scattered. That recovery rate made restoration worthwhile, though the process still dragged on for decades, since the temple’s position below the river level made the excavation site notoriously difficult to keep dry.
The Sumundul and Pananggaran Inscriptions, and Visiting Info
No written record has ever directly explained who founded Candi Kedulan. What has surfaced are two inscriptions found on the site grounds in the early 2000s — the Sumundul and Pananggaran inscriptions — dated to 791 Saka, or roughly 868–869 AD.
Their content, interestingly, has nothing to do with the temple itself. Written in Old Javanese script and language, both inscriptions describe a dawuhan, or dam, shared jointly by two villages, complete with tax obligations tied to its upkeep. It’s solid evidence that agricultural irrigation was already being managed in an organized way as far back as the 9th century.
The complex itself is Hindu, made up of one east-facing main temple with three ancillary shrines in front. Its Hindu identity is confirmed by the discovery of a lingga-yoni along with statues of Durga Mahisasuramardini, Nandiswara, Mahakala, Ganesha, and Agastya. The main temple uses andesite stone on the exterior and tuff stone inside. Since the site is managed as a heritage conservation area rather than a commercial attraction, it’s worth confirming visiting hours with the local caretaker before you go.
Exploring Nearby Sites in Kalasan
- Candi Sari - about 2 km - A two-storey Buddhist monastery topped with nine stupas, once home to resident monks.
- Candi Kalasan - about 2.5 km - Yogyakarta’s oldest Buddhist temple, standing since 778 AD.
- Candi Sambisari - about 3 km - Another Hindu temple buried by Merapi’s ash, now sitting 6.5 meters below ground level.
Final Thoughts
Candi Kedulan carries two layered stories at once: proof of just how powerful Merapi’s eruptions can be, and an inscription record of a 9th-century community already managing a dam and its tax system. Pair it with a visit to Sambisari to see two strikingly similar fates in a single trip.
FAQ: About Candi Kedulan
When was Candi Kedulan discovered?
In 1993, by sand miners working in Tirtomartani village. Sources cite slightly different dates, ranging between September 24 and November 24, 1993.
How deep was Candi Kedulan buried?
Roughly eight meters below ground level, sealed under Merapi lahar material built up across fifteen distinct sediment layers from multiple eruption periods.
What do the Sumundul and Pananggaran inscriptions say?
Both are dated to 791 Saka (around 868–869 AD) and describe a dawuhan, or dam, shared by two villages, including the tax obligations tied to its upkeep.