Taman Ayun

Pura Taman Ayun was built in 1634 by the king of Mengwi as a royal family temple and last renovated on a large scale in 1937, and its plan is what distinguishes it: the whole complex sits on a raised platform surrounded by a moat, so it reads as an island, entered over a bridge and through gates into a sequence of courts rising to the innermost, where a row of meru - pagoda towers with tiered thatched roofs, the number of tiers indicating the rank of the deity - stands in a line. Beyond devotion it had an administrative function: as a royal temple in the subak system, it stood at the head of a network of water temples coordinating irrigation across the Mengwi lands, which is why it is included in the UNESCO cultural landscape inscription of Bali's subak.

History

Taman Ayun was built in 1634, the year 1556 of the Saka calendar, by the king of Mengwi, Gusti Agung Putu, also known as Cokorda Sakti Blambangan, as a family temple to honour the spirits of his ancestors. It has been restored and renovated several times over the centuries: according to Henk Schulte Nordholt it was renovated in 1750 by an architect named Hobin Ho, and the last major renovation was in 1937. Its water features are part of the local subak irrigation system (Wikipedia, Pura Taman Ayun).

What to look for

• A temple in a moat - the raised platform reading as an island, entered by bridge.
• A row of tiered meru - the pagoda towers in the innermost court.
• A royal water temple - its role at the head of the Mengwi subak network.
• A Balinese garden plan - the sequence of courts rising through the complex.

When to go

April to October; mornings are quietest. An hour or two.

Things to know

The innermost court is closed to visitors - it is viewed from the surrounding walkway. It is small and an hour covers it. Sarongs are required and rented at the gate.

Nearby

Tanah Lot is west; Bedugul and the lakes are north; Denpasar is south.

Key facts