Sewu background is a temple complex in Java, the largest Buddhist center in addition to Borobudur, which was built in the late eighth century AD Judging from the large and the number of existing buildings in the complex, allegedly Sewu former royal temple and one of the centers of religious activity that is important enough in his time. While the views of the location, layout Sewu not far from Prambanan Temple, indicating that at that time two major world religions, namely Hinduism and Buddhism coexist peacefully.
In 1960, the complex has been found Sewu stone inscription dated 714 or 792 M c, whose contents include mention of the name of the sacred building improvements Manjus'rigra. Based on these inscriptions, allegedly Sewu real name, which means the house is Manjus'rigra Manjusri, ie one Boddhisatawa in Buddhism. Regarding the establishment of the building to date is not certain, but certainly before the year 792 AD is known as the year of building completion. Kelurak inscription which dates to 782 AD were found near the Temple of the barn a few hundred yards from Sewu, according to R. Soekmono linked Sewu. Inscriptions do not mention clearly the name of the king who ordered the building to make it holy. Yet other data from Sewu allegedly began to be established at the end of the reign of Rakai Panangkaran, a great king of ancient Mataram kingdom which ruled in 746-784 AD
Sewu is a building that is large enough, in which there are 249 pieces of the building consists of a Main Temple, Temple Apit eight, and 240 Perwara. Based on the findings of the foundation of the fence to the east of the complex Sewu in the year 194, formerly thought to Sewu complex is divided into three pages, each separated by a fence. The main temple is located on the first page that is restricted by a fence as high as eighty-five centimeters, and berdenah rectangular (40x41 meters). Plan of the main building of the temple-shaped cross-angle 20 with the center line of two eight point nine meters.
Parent Sewu temple has the main chamber (middle chamber) and the four chambers of the viewer. Each viewer has a booth entrance. East entrance they serve as the main entrance to the chamber center. Thus the temple faced east Sewu Parent.
Ancillary temples and temple Apit entirely contained on the second page. Perwara arranged in four rows forming concentric rectangles. In the series I have two buildings, the series II 44 buildings, eighty-building series III, and IV series there are eighty-eight buildings. The whole temple that was ancillary to the series I, II and IV have the orientation of the exit (back to the Main Temple), while series III have inward oriented (facing Main Temple), Temple Apit Perwara located between rows II and III, each pair in every corner. The position of each pair of flanking paths Apit Temple split the page into two right axes. Eight Apit Temple has an orientation to the street which divides the second page. On fourth down the road near the fence into two, each of which contained a pair of giant size statue Dwarapala. High statue of approximately 229.5 cm and placed on a square pedestal as high as approximately 111 cm. Door and a fence around the second page is made of white stone at this point the objec collapse. However, based on reuntuhannya can be seen that the fence around the page into two pages, measuring approximately one hundred seventy one hundred and eighty meters by seven meters.
Sewu can be divided vertically into three parts, the legs, body and roof of the temple. The entire building is made of andesite stone buildings except for the core structure made of red bricks that make up the cube. Cube-shaped red brick structure is not visible from the outside because it was in the building. At the foot of the temple there is a series of reliefs depicting ornate or decorative motif purnakalasa vase of flowers, as well as "statue" a lion at each corner of a meeting between the legs and the ladder structure. In addition to the outer side of the ladder-shaped cheek makara, there are reliefs depicting a Yaksa, kalpawrksa, and Sankha-shaped vase.
Cinding body temples dividing the building into 13 parts, namely a central building, four-aisle, four hallways and four performers. Every viewer has a door to the outside and connecting doors to the hall, while the halls are also have a connecting door to the corridor on either side. Especially in the east hallway there is a door connecting the middle chamber. Inside the chamber there was a complete asana with sandaranyya which is placed against the west wall of the room. The first asana allegedly filled a tall statue Manjus'ri approximately 360 cm. While every viewer allegedly first chamber contains six statues are placed in the six niches, each of the three recesses, each of the three niches lined the walls right and left.