There Will Be No Escalators In Borobudur Temple, Here's The Explanation

The 2025 Vesak Celebration is in the courtyard of Borobudur Temple, Central Java. (ANTARA/HO-InJourney)

JAKARTA - The government has confirmed that there will be no construction of escalators in the Borobudur Temple area. The issue was declared untrue and had been clarified directly by the relevant authorities to reduce the confusion of information circulating in the community.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon explained that the project that is being planned is not the installation of an elevator or escalator, but the use of a Chairlift, namely a rising aid in the form of a chair aimed at supporting accessibility for people with disabilities, the elderly, and senior monks.

"There is no such thing as making an elevator at Borobudur Temple, then there is a video saying the installation of an excavator or even said that he can't distinguish between an escalator and an excavator, so there is no installation of an escalator in the Borobudur temple, which we are trying to install a Chair (chairlift)," said the Minister of Culture as quoted by ANTARA.

Fadli emphasized that the installation of this chartlift is a form of commitment to make Borobudur Temple more inclusive. He gave an example of various world cultural sites such as Akropolis in Greece or St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican which had already used similar technology without disturbing the cultural heritage structure.

According to him, the use of this auxiliary technology fully pays attention to the conservation aspect. Chairlift will not damage the temple structure because the installation is done without drilling or permanent installation. All components can be dismantled without leaving any marks, and installed outside the sensitive temple core zone.

Chairlift is for inclusiveness, all world sites are already using it when we come to Akropolis to Partion, Greece. It also uses that, I also see it in the chapel system, that's if we look at the Saint Peter church system in Italy, which is a heritage, it also uses that," he said again.

This statement emerged in response to a viral video on social media claiming the construction of an iron escalator on the Borobudur site. The video raises concerns that the temple structure will be damaged by modern interventions that are not appropriate.

Responding to the issue, the Head of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, also provided clarification.

He said that during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Indonesia, the government did provide temporary assistance facilities so that the country's guests could access Borobudur Temple more easily and quickly. This is done considering the limited time in state visits.

"Borobudur's condition is approximately 12 floors high. So, the President of France is certainly on state visits for a limited time," Hasan said.

The facility in question consists of a sloping route (ramp) to the fourth floor, as well as an upward aid chair (carrier) installed on the side of the stairs to reach the upper floor.

Hasan ensured that all installations were temporary and did not endanger the cultural heritage site. The installation process is closely monitored by the Ministry of Culture, without using nails or drills, thereby minimizing potential damage.

Through a conservation and inclusiveness approach, this step is expected to increase access to Borobudur Temple without sacrificing historical value and its sustainability as a world cultural heritage.