Pura Taman Ayun is one of the top temples in Bali, a serene place of calm and beautiful. The huge royal water temple of Pura Taman Ayun, surrounded by a wide and elegant moat, was the main temple of the Mengwi Kingdom, which survived until 1891 when it was conquered by the neighboring kingdoms of Tabanan and Badung. The temple was built in 1634 and extensively renovated in 1937. It is a spacious place to wander around, away from crowds. The first courtyard is a large open grassy expanse and the inner courtyard has a multitude of shrines. Lotus blossoms fill the pools, the temple is part of the complex of rice-field irrigation system sites recognized by the UNESCO in 2012.
