As writer Miguel Covarrubias penned in his 1937 book Island of Bali, “Besakih is Bali’s most impressive temple in its austere simplicity and its grandiosity, with hundreds of black merus rising from everywhere to the misty sky.”  Indeed this vast complex of puras situated one-third of the way up Gunung Agung, Bali’s holiest peak and home to the gods, is an incredible spectacle to behold.  Made up of three temple compounds, Pura Besakih is not only the oldest and largest temple on the island, it is also undeniably the most important and also bears the designation as Bali’s Mother Temple.  It’s complicated architectural structure contains approximately 22 separate sanctuaries and within them 60 temples and 200 dedicated structures.  The most important structures dedicated to the holy Hindu trinity are the central temple, Pura Penataran Agung dedicated to Shiva, the Pura Batu Medeg dedicated to Wisnu and the Pura Kiduling Kreteg dedicated to Brahma.  It is claimed that the Hindu sage Danghyang Markandeye, founded Pura Besakih in the 8th century and that Empu Sang Kulputih, his son, was the temple's first high priest.