Gunung Padang
Encyclopedia
Gunung Padang is a megalith
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...

ic site located in Karyamukti village, Cianjur
Cianjur
Cianjur is a city in the West Java province of Indonesia, the capital of Cianjur Regency. Cianjur is located in the middle of the main road between Jakarta and Bandung . The population is about 146,874...

 regency, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...

 Province of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

, 50 km south-west of the city of Cianjur or 6 kilometers from Lampegan station. It is the largest megalithic site in South-Eastern Asia.

The existence of the site is mentioned in Rapporten van de Oudheidkundige Dienst (ROD, "Report of the Department of Antiquities") in 1914. The Dutch historian N. J. Krom also mentioned it in 1949. Employees of National Archeology Research Center visited the site in 1979 for a study of archaeology, history and geology.

Located at 885 meters above see level, the site covers a hill in a series of terraces bordered by retaining walls of stone that are accessed by successive steps (about 400 andesit steps). It is covered with massive rectangular stones of volcanic origin. Local people consider the place as sacred and believe the site as a result of King Siliwangi
King Siliwangi
Siliwangi is a legendary great king of the Sunda kingdom in West Java. The kingdom flourished between 669 to 1759 AD. He brought the kingdom greatness and prosperity. Some accounts of his life are taken from the Pantun Sunda oral tradition that describe his reign as a glorious era for the Sundanese...

 attempt to build a palace in one night. The site is facing up to northwest, to Mount Gede
Mount Gede
Mount Gede or Gunung Gede is a stratovolcano in West Java, Indonesia. The volcano contains two peaks with Mount Gede as one peak and Mount Pangrango for the other one. Three major cities, Cianjur, Sukabumi and Bogor, are located in the volcano complex at the east, south and northwest, respectively...

.

The villages closest to the site are Cimanggu, Ciwangun and Cipanggulakan. Two routes are possible to get there:
  • From Sukabumi to Cianjur: From Warungkondang to Cipadang, Cibokor, Lampegan Pal Dua, Ciwangin, Cimanggu.
  • From Cianjur to Sukabumi: From Sukaraja to Cireungas, Cibanteng, Rawabesar, Sukamukti and Cipanggulaan.

External links

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