The outstanding monument of the Sanjaya dynasty remains the magnificent Shivaite temple complex of Lara Jongrang (meaning "slender maiden"). It is located in Prambanan, built in the early 10th century.
The Hindu Lara Jongrang temple complex comprises three large temples, five smaller shrines and numerous chapels. The main Shiva temple is particularly beautiful.
The temple also has halls dedicated to the main gods of the Hindu pantheon, Vishnu and Brahma. All the halls of the temple are decorated with beautiful bas-reliefs. Also on the walls of the temple there is an image of the mythical bird Garuda - the national symbol of Indonesia. In the dry season under the full moon here are performances of the ballet "Ramayana" - an unforgettable spectacle.
There is a legend about Prince Bandung Bondowoso, who fell in love with Princess Lara Jongrang, the daughter of King Boko. At that time, there were two kingdoms, Penjing and Boko. The kingdom of Penjing was prosperous, ruled by the wise King Prabu Damar Moyo, who had a son, Bandung Bondowoso. And the kingdom of Boko was ruled by the cruel cannibal giant Prabu Boko along with his right hand man, the giant Patiom Jupolo. King Prabu Boko had a beautiful daughter, Lara Jongrang. One day, Prabu Boko wished to expand the boundaries of his kingdom and started a war with his neighbour, the kingdom of Penjing. When Boko began his treacherous invasion, the king of Penjing sent his son Bondowoso with an army to repel the attack. During the battle, Boko was killed and his aide Patiom Jupolo returned to the kingdom and told Rara Jongrang that her father had died. The victorious Bandung Bondowoso fell in love with the princess and proposed marriage to her. But the princess, thinking that he was the one who killed her father, did not accept his proposal. Bandung Bondowoso insisted, and the princess devised a test - the prince must build 1000 temples overnight. The prince summoned the help of higher powers who helped him build 999 temples. When the prince was finishing the last one and the princess saw this, she woke up the whole court and ordered the fires to be lit on the eastern side to simulate dawn. The prince realised that he had been tricked, became furious, cursed the princess and she turned into a stone statue. According to legend, the last, unfinished temple became the temple of Sevu ("sevu" means "thousand" in Javanese), and the princess is the image of the goddess Durga in the Shiva temple..
