After 7 Months, Borobudur Temple Stupa Cover Opened

MAGELANG - A number of officers from the Borobudur Conservation Center (BKB) opened the cover of the Borobudur Temple stupa which was previously functioned to anticipate the rain of volcanic ash due to the eruption of Mount Merapi.

The Coordinator of Utilization Aspects of the Borobudur Conservation Center, Yudi Suhartono, said that the stupa was opened after seven months. The stupa will be covered by tarpaulin starting November 2020.

The opening of the cover of the stupa was based on various considerations, including the condition of Mount Merapi based on a request for information from the Yogyakarta BPPTKG which stated that the condition of Mount Merapi since November 5, 2020, has been in Alert status (level III), the ash rain that occurs predominantly in the eastern sector of Mount Merapi is a maximum eight kilometers from the top of the mountain.

The current potential danger in the form of lava avalanches and hot clouds threatens the south-southwest sector of Mount Merapi for a maximum of five kilometers and the southeast sector for three kilometers and it is estimated that the effusive eruption of Mount Merapi will still occur in the next few months.

"Based on this information, for the time being, the condition of Borobudur Temple is safe from the eruption of Mount Merapi," he said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, June 9.

According to him, the condition of the Borobudur Temple building which is covered with tarpaulin for a long time also needs to be opened for further conservation measures so that the rocks that make up Borobudur are maintained.

In addition, he said input and suggestions from various parties related to the opening of the Borobudur stupa cover with the hope that tourists and the public can see the Borobudur Temple naturally from afar without the cover.

"This is a consideration for opening the cover of Borobudur Temple," he said.