Tanah Lot temple Bali Bashny.Net

Tanah Lot is a mountain formation at the coast of the Indonesian island of Bali. This pilgrimage Church is a popular tourist and cultural object due to its exoticism and the natural environment. It can be seen on many pictures, postcards and posters, as it is the most photographed attraction in Bali.





Tanah Lot literally means "Land Sea" in Balinese language. Located in Tabanan, approximately 20 kilometers from Denpasar, a temple set on a large cliff, which was formed by ocean currents.

Tanah Lot is claimed is the work of a priest Nirartha in the 15th century. During his travels along the South coast he saw a beautiful rock, and for some time settled there. Some fishermen brought him food and clothing. Later, he told them to build a Shrine on the rock because he felt that it is a Holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods.









Tanah has been part of Balinese mythology for centuries. This is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. Each of the sea temples was established within the field of view from the next to form a chain along the South-West coast. It had significant Hindu influence.

In the base of the rocky island according to the legend there are poisonous sea snakes guarding the temple from evil spirits and intruders. A giant snake that protects the temple, which was created from Nirartha scarf when he established the island.





In 1980, the temple began to crumble and the area around is dangerous. The Japanese government provided a loan to the Indonesian government to save the historic temple and other important attractions of Bali. As a result, more than one third of Tanah Lot was an artificial rock, is disguised as natural.

The area around Tanah Lot is highly commercialized, tourism is very highly developed. To reach the temple, visitors must pass through a carefully planned set of Balinese souvenir shops which cover each side on the way to the sea. On the mainland cliff tops is a restaurant for tourists.





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