The marvelous Buddhist pyramid of Borobudur is Indonesia's prime attraction. Rulers of the Sailendra dynasty built the temple between 750 and 850 AD. Little is known about the site's early history, but a massive workforce must have been involved in the construction of the complex. It has been calculated that some 60,000 m³ (196,800 cu feet) of stone must have been used to construct it and numerous workers must have spend years to finish Borobudur's marvelous carvings.
After the temple was completed, Buddhism started declining on Java and with the shift of power to the eastern part of the island, Borobudur was abandoned. Borobudur was abandoned and, as a result of several volcanic eruptions, it was slowly buried under thick layers of volcanic ash.
Borobudur remained buried until 1815, when the site was re-discovered and unearthed. Between 1973 and 1984, US$ 21 million was spent to restore most of the complex. Not far from the pyramid are the Mendut and Pawon temples. They are an important part of the complex, but often ignored by visitors, who finish the main site only. Borobudur is 400 km (250 miles) southeast of Jakarta.