High medieval · Hindu · Indonesia

Pura Luhur Uluwatu

Bukit Peninsula, Bali · -8.8291°, 115.0849°

Rudra (Shiva as dissolver)Warmadewa era; Majapahit-era additionsBalinese cliff temple
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
11th c. origins; expanded 16th c.
patron: Mpu Kuturan; Dang Hyang Nirartha

History & significance

One of Bali's six sad kahyangan directional temples, on a 70 m sea cliff at the island's southwestern point — guarding Bali from the spirits of the ocean as the sun goes down. The kecak fire-dance performed at its clifftop amphitheatre each sunset, chanting the Ramayana's monkey army, is the island's signature ritual-theatre.

Sthala katha — the legend

Here Nirartha ended his earthly wanderings, attaining moksha in a flash of light from the cliff — 'Ulu-watu', the headland's stone, holding the point where the priest of all Bali's sea temples left the world; the temple monkeys are held to guard his relics with famous mischief.

Open in Google Maps ↗Wikipedia ↗View on the atlas map

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Warmadewa era; Majapahit-era additions