Balinese Temple

Bali has been called the “land of a thousand temples” what an understatement! Bali might be a small island, but there are many, many more than a thousand temples. Every village has at least three temples, a family compound has one, each rice growing cooperative (subak) has a temple, and even corporations have them. Some are simple affairs, others are elaborate sprawling complexes of major and minor temples, incorporating pagodas and shrines.

Above all the Balinese temple is a sacred space in which the deities are honored with rituals and offerings. Whether a simple enclosure with only one or two tiny shrines, or an elaborate complex with scores of sacred structures, the basic function of each temple is the same - to serve as a site where the Balinese pay reverence to the spiritual powers that play such a large role in their lives.