— “The Royal Tombs” in a Spectacular Valley—
Meaning of its name: “Temple of the mountain of poetry”; pura-‘temple’, gunung -‘mountain’,kawi can refer to a poet or sacred, ancient writing.
Also called: CANDI GUNUNG KAWI, CANDI TEBING GUNUNG KAWI
Location: In the upper Pakerisan river valley.
Map: Tampaksiring, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia
From: 11ᵗʰ century
Main buildings: Ten huge rock-hewn relief-candis in three groups; hermitage and meditation caves.
Region: Tampaksiring
Theme: The Rock Temples of Central Bali
Requirements for visit: Tickets cost 50,000 Rp. Sarongs are available to borrow.
The nine royal monuments
The candi shrines are a focal point of both historical and religious importance. The seven-meter-high rock-cut candis resemble the temples of Central and East Java, and the prasada structures found in Bali. Yet here they are not freestanding sanctuaries, but reliefs with a kind of false door. Their roofs are crowned with a finial, and each of the three tiers is adorned with three small ornamental towers, reminiscent of abstracted lingga-yonis, the symbols of fertility and Shiva.
According to the inscriptions, all of this took shape around the year 1080 and was dedicated to Raja Anak Wungsu (1049–1071), the younger brother of Airlangga, ruler of Java. Or was it once more the work of the giant Kebo Iwa, who is said to have carved this and the other rock-cut temples of this river valley with nothing but his mighty nails?
The ancient hermitage
The site contains 34 meditation caves (goa), some of which hold deep historical and spiritual significance as royal meditation places, particularly linked to King Udayana. While several caves served as practical living quarters for temple caretakers and hermits (pedanda), others were reserved as sacred retreats for meditation, purification (melukat), and communion with the holy waters of the Pakerisan River flowing through the valley. Some caves remain strictly off-limits, marked by pelinggih (altars) and draped with wastra (sacred cloths), signifying their sanctity.
Water flows
Water is ever-present at Candi Gunung Kawi. The constant sound of the Pakerisan River forms the deep bassline of a natural orchestra, accompanied by the lighter tones of smaller streams, irrigation channels, and natural springs that weave through the site. This sacred river, one of Bali’s holiest, has long been used for ritual purification (melukat) and is tied to the subak irrigation system, symbolizing the life-giving balance between nature, humans, and the divine. Each rock-cut candi relief is equipped with a water spout (pancoran), while carefully designed channels encircle the central complex on the left bank of the river, where King Udayana’s monument is located. Here, the interplay of stone and flowing water reflects the Balinese belief that sanctity is not only carved into rock, but also carried in the living movement of water.
The Tenth Shrine
Often referred to in literature as The Tenth Tomb, this candi relief lies about two hundred meters downstream on the right bank of the river. It can be reached by following a paved pathway that branches off to the right before the stone gate of the main complex, leading down a series of steps. Although part of the UNESCO-recognized monument, this section is rarely visited, offering visitors a rare chance to linger in solitude and experience the site’s atmosphere undisturbed.
This tenth shrine is a bit smaller than the other nine. Like the other nine, this one is not an actual tomb, either, rather a monument. It seems to be a part of a hermitage—also called Geria Pedanda or the priest’s house —and is thought to commemorate either a high-ranking official or spiritual figure, not a member of the royal family. This part of the site closely resembles Candi Tebing Tegallinggah, another ancient rock-cut temple a few kilometers south in the same valley, and also brings to mind Jukut Paku, a smaller sanctuary south of Ubud. It shares certain features with Goa Garba as well, while the relief itself is reminiscent of the forms found at Candi Tebing Tinggi Tambahan, Candi Kerobokan, and Candi Kalebutan.
Bibliography
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Granquist, Bruce Mapping Bali: Island, Culture, People. Singapore: Talisman, 2023.
Hering, Bob Candi and Pura. A Pictorial History. James Cook University of North Queensland, 1985.
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Spitzing, Günter Bali. Tempel, Mythen und Volkskunst auf der tropischen Insel zwischen Indischem und Pazifischem Ozean. Köln: DuMont, 1983.
Soebadio, Haryati and Miksic, John et Al . eds. Art of Indonesia. New York: Vendome Press 1992.
Wijaya, Made Architecture of Bali. University of Hawai’i Press, 2002.
Nearby Temples
Pura Gunung Kawi is connected to many other temples in the Central Bali. Down the Pakerisan river valley there is row of similar, but smaller sites, like Candi Kerobokan,Goa Garba, and Candi Tebing Tegallingah. After a legend, all of them were carved out of the rock by the giant Kebo Iwa and all of them have reliefs of candi forms, several water channels and a specific atmosphere with the noise of the river and the smell of moss and the forest. The closest neighbors are Pura Mengening, Pura Tirta Empul, and Pura Pegulingan, reachable within two kilometers.
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Photos and text © 2025 Alida Szabo, unless otherwise noted.
