CATEGORY

Uncover the many mysteries of the long-missing "eighth wonder of the world." Built by a now-forgotten civilization that flourished even as Europe languished in the Dark Ages, Borobudur in Central Java is the world's largest Buddhist temple, erected out of 1.6 million blocks of worked volcanic stone and containing three miles of relief carvings and 504 statues of Buddha. Yet, for 1,000 years it lay deserted, until Java's Lieutenant-Governor Sir Thomas Raffles decided to investigate rumors of a huge structure located deep in the jungle--and found this awe-inspiring edifice. Who built it? How was it constructed? And, why was it abandoned so soon after completion? A fascinating tale of what is now one of Asia's biggest tourist attractions.