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  Approximately, 40 kilometers (25 mils) northwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur is located in an elevated area between two twin volcanoes, Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi, and two rivers, the Progo and the Elo. According to local myth, the area known as Kedu Plain is a Javanese 'sacred' place and has been dubbed 'the garden of Java' due to its high agricultural fertility. Besides Borobudur, there are other Buddhist and Hindu temples in the area, including the Prambanan temples' compound. For the time of the restoration in the early 20th century, it was discovered that three temples in the region, Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut, are positioned along a straight line. It might be accidental, but the temples' alignment is in conjunction with a native folk tale that a long time ago, there was a brick-paved road from Borobudur to Mendut with walls on both sides. The three temples Borobudur, Pawon, Mendut has similar architecture and ornamentation derived from the same time period, which suggests that ritual relationship between the three temples, in order to have formed a sacred unity, must have existed, although an exact ritual process is yet unknown.
  Dissimilar other temples, which were built on a flat surface, Borobudur was built on a bedrock hill, 265 m (869 ft) above sea level and m (49 ft) above the floor ofthe dried-out Paleolake. The lake's existence was the subject ofintense discussion among archaeologists inthe 20th century; Borobudur was thought tohave been built ona lake shore oreven floated ona lake. In1931, a Dutch artist and a scholar ofHindu and Buddhist architecture, W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp, developed a theory that Kedu Plain was once a lake and Borobudur initially represented a lotus flower floating onthe lake. Lotus flowers are found inalmost every Buddhistic work ofart, often serving asa throne for Buddha and base for Stupa. The architecture of Borobudur itself suggests a lotus depiction, inwhich Buddha postures inBorobudur symbolize the Lotus Sutra, mostly found inmany Mahayana Buddhism (aschool ofBuddhism widely spread inthe east Asia region) texts. Three circular platforms onthe top are also thought torepresent a lotus frond theory, however, was contested bymany archaeologists because the natural environment surrounding the monument isa dry land.
  Geologists, on theother hand, support Nieuwenkamp's view, pointing outclay sediments found near thesite. A study of stratigraphy, sediment andpollen samples conducted in 2000 supports theexistence of a Paleolake environment near Borobudur, which tends to confirm Nieuwenkamp's theory. Thelake area fluctuated with time, andthestudy also proves that Borobudur wasnear thelake shore c. 13th and14th centuries. River flows andvolcanic activities shape thesurrounding landscape, including thelake. Oneof themost functioning agent volcanoes in Indonesia, Mount Merapi, is in thedirect vicinity of Borobudur andhasbeen very active since thePleistocene.
source: Wikipedia. org
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