Pura Meru

Pura Meru is the largest Hindu temple on Lombok, a substantial walled compound in the Cakranegara district of Mataram. It was founded in 1720 and remains an active place of worship for Lombok's Balinese Hindu community, who constitute a significant minority alongside the predominantly Sasak Muslim population.

The compound contains three tall meru towers — pagoda-like wooden shrines — of which the 33-tiered Shiva tower is the largest and most elaborate. The interior is off-limits during ceremonies, but you can enter the outer courtyards to see the towers and the thatched pavilions. A sarong is required (available to borrow at the entrance). The temple sits directly across the road from the Mayura Water Palace.

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Pura Meru was built in 1720 by the Balinese prince Anak Agung Made Karang with the explicit aim of uniting the various Hindu factions on Lombok under a single temple. It houses three meru towers of different heights representing the Hindu trinity — the tallest, 33-tiered tower is dedicated to Shiva.

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