Muara Takus is a complex of Buddhist temples belonged to the ancient Kingdom of Sriwijaya. It is located near the Kampar Kanan River in Riau Province. The extant temples and other archaeological monuments in this area date back to the 11th-12th centuries. It is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient temple complexes in Sumatra. Besides, Muara Takus is the only complex in Riau, which evidences how widespread Buddhism was in this region. The region could be the religious and commercial center of Sriwijaya.
Large brick constructions were found in the jungle in the middle of the 19th century. Today, there is a well maintained archaeological zone with glades, paths and several information signs. However, all descriptions are given in Indonesian – you can learn more about the old temples from local guides.
Within the complex, there are the Old Temple (Candi Tua), the Young Temple (Candi Bungsu), the stupas of Mahligai (Candi Mahligai) and Palangka (Candi Palangka).
The main temple called Mahligai is a tall lotus-shaped stupa surrounded by the ruins of several brick sanctuaries. Its tall form differs from the ordinary bell-shaped Buddhist stupas typical for this part of the country. The image of the stupa is unique, although, in Thailand and Myanmar, there are a lot of similar ancient buildings. The upper level of the stupa is decorated with lion figures, which are hardly visible from below. The temple is built from river boulders, sandstone and clay bricks.
The bricks for Muara Takus are supposed to be made in the Ponkai village upward the complex. Local people delivered the bricks by hand, passing them to each other along the long line to the complex.
The temples are situated about 120 km from Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau Province. It should be considered that visiting the complex does not take much time, but except for the walk around the ruins, there is no entertainment nearby. Nevertheless, it is the perfect option for a day trip – the impressions from ancient temples would be complemented by the beautiful road through the green hills.