Keraton Ratu Boko

Keraton Ratu Boko, beautiful palace on the hill

The word palace derives from “Ke-Ratu(Queen)-An”, which means palace or residence is also a queen or king, while Boko means stork (bird). It is still a question who the real king of Stork, whether the rulers of that era or the name of the bird in a real sense that I used to perch on the hill Ratu Boko?
Ratu Boko Temple is a building that was supposed experts have a history of multi-function that consists of several components, namely the fortress palace (palace) and the cave. Keraton Ratu Boko locations can be reached by road from  Solo street, more or less at Km 17 or T-junction turn right as far as Prambanan + 3 Km.
Ratu Boko Palace Ruins was first discovered by Van Boeckholtz in 1790. A century after the discovery of the Van Boeckholtz, which is about 1890, FDK Bosch conduct archaeological research on the archaeological heritage in the south of Prambanan in a report titled Van Ratoe Kraton Boko.
Sources inscription issued by the Rakai Panangkaran years 746-784 AD, mentions that the Queen’s Palace Buko is Abhayagiri Vihara. Abhaya means no danger, Giri means hill / mountain, meaning monastery hostel / place. Thus Abhayagiri Vihara means dormitory / Bihksu where Buddhism is located on a peaceful hill or temple where the bihksu looking for peace, seclusion and focus on spiritual life.
In the next period about 856M years, the complex is Abhayagiri monastery functioned as a royal palace by the Rakai Walaing Walaing Pu Khumbayoni Hindu. It is therefore not surprising that elements of Hinduism and Buddhism seem colaborated in this building.
The uniqueness of Boko Temple
Unlike the other buildings of the classical period of Central Java, Ratu Boko Site has a character and its own privileges. Remnants of the classical buildings of Central Java in general form of the temple (shrine / temple), is a relic at the site Ratu Boko indicates not only sacred building (temple), but also other buildings that are profane. Keprofanan nature is shown by the presence of the remains that was once a residential building with pillars and a roof made ??of wood, but now only part-baturnya shelf are made ??of stone. In addition to buildings that demonstrate the nature of sacred and profane, in the Site Ratu Boko is also found other types of buildings, namely in the form pools and caves.
Judging from its layout, the buildings on the site Ratu Boko can be grouped into 5 (five) groups, namely: the Main Gate, the group Paseban, Pendapa group, Keputren, and the Cave. Groups Main Gate is located west of the Main Gate I and II, talud, fencing, burning of the temple and ruins. Paseban group consists of two shelf Paseban, talud and Paseban fence. Pendapa group consists of Batur Pendapa, and Pringgitan Pendapa and surrounded the stone fence with three gates as entrances, miniature temples, as well as several ponds of water are surrounded by a fence round complete with gapura.  Keputren (princess) group was in the southeast, is located on the lower page and consists of two shelf, rectangular pool, fence and gate. The group consists of Caves, Wadon(Lady) Caves and  Lanang(Gent) Cave.