Paduraksa, also known as kori is a type of gateway covered with towering roofs that can be found in the island of Java and Bali, Indonesia. This architectural feature is commonly found in buildings from the classical Hindu-Buddhist period of Indonesia. Paduraksa marks the threshold into the most sacred space within a religious compound, a cemetery, or a palace. In Balinese architecture, an elaborately decorated towering paduraksa is often built as the temple's most imposing structure.
A paduraksa (left) marks the entrance into the main sanctum of the temple, while the candi bentar (right) marks the entrance into the outer sanctum of the temple.
Bajang Ratu, a 13th-century paduraksa in Trowulan.
A highly ornate paduraksa in the Pura Puseh Desa Singapadu, Bali.
A paduraksa gate of Plaosan compound, 9th century.
A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word derived from old Norse "gat" meaning road or path; But other terms include yett and port. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall or fence, rather than a barrier which closed it. Gates may prevent or control the entry or exit of individuals, or they may be merely decorative. The moving part or parts of a gateway may be considered "doors", as they are fixed at one side whilst opening and closing like one.
Gate from Bucharest (Romania)
Art Nouveau gate of Castel Béranger (Paris)
Candi bentar, a typical Indonesian gate that is often found on the islands of Java and Bali
Japanese Torii at Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan, where the Hindu goddess Saraswati is worshipped as the Buddhist-Shinto goddess Benzaiten
