CANDI SONGGORITI

  This temple is located on Jalan Songgoriti, Songgokerto Village, Batu District, Batu City, East Java Province. The location of this temple is in the neighborhood of Natural Hot Springs (PAPA), or adjacent to the Songgoriti Tourism Market. Seen from the style of the building and decorative arts, also some forms of writing on short inscriptions found along with other peripih in temple wells, Candi Songgoriti is thought to originate from around the 9th century. This temple was first discovered by a Dutch archaeologist named Wouter Hendrik Van Ijsseldijk in 1799.

  Then, repaired by other Dutch archaeologists, namely Jonathan Rigg in 1849 and Jan Frederik Gerrit Brumund in 1863. In 1902, J. Knebel conducted an inventory of the site of Songgoriti Temple and continued with extensive renovations in 1921. The current temple is the result of restoration carried out by Oudheidkundige Dienst of the Dutch East Indies from 1938 until 1944.

  Songgoriti Temple is patirthan temple, which was established in connection with the source of hot water coming out of the ground. Local folklore mentions that the temple was built in connection with the place of a master maker of heirlooms, therefore the water is hot and irony. The name 'Songgoriti' comes from Old Javanese from the basic word 'sanggha' which means group, group, group and 'which means bronze, brass, country metal. Thus the Songgoriti name means 'metal heaps'. In the area around Songgoriti, there are still names of places such as Kemasan (a place for gold craftsmen) and Pandesari (metal clearing center).

   This name is probably related to an inscription that was found not far from the temple site, namely t the Sangguran Inscription dating from 850Çaka or 928 AD. Ancient Central Java. The construction of Songgoriti Temple is located at an altitude of 998 meters above sea level, and is made of andesite. Meanwhile, the foundation is brick. The size of this temple is 14.50 meters x 10 meters with a height of 2.5 meters. Although the temple building is no longer intact, its existence is very meaningful as proof of the old age of civilization in Batu City.