Following the excellent advice of my Rough Guide, I decided to take a look at a temple in Campuhan overlooking Campuhan ridge. Pura Gunung Lebah sits across the street from Museum Blanco, or more accurately, across the street and the other side of the bridge to Museum Blanco. Descending a flight of steps, that took me past a high school, situated at the top of the ridge, I saw the temple. Outside the temple was deserted, obviously not many tourists come here even though it so close to downtown Ubud.
Donning a sarong and sash, I entered the jaba (outer courtyard), passing through a candi bentar (split gate) to the jaba tengah (middle courtyard). Often the access to a jeroan (inner courtyard) is marked by a kori agung (stone capped gate, rather like Stonehenge), but on this occasion it was another candi bentar. Pura Gunung Lebah has been a religious site since the 8th century, even though most of the structures are relatively modern.
The rear right section of the inner courtyard is the most significant and is where the padmasana (an empty stone throne on top of a tower, which is reserved for the Supreme Deity. I also notice smaller throne with rocks on, obviously in reverence to ancient times.
Pura Gunung Lebah has some brightly colored statues, painted in traditional gold and red. You can visit Pura Gunung Lebah very easily as it is next to the road and only 5 minutes from downtown Ubud. Be sure to bring a sarong and sash.
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About 10 years ago (I do not remember the exact year, 1995 or 1996), Tjokorda Putra Sukawati spent about US$200,000 to refurbish Pura Gunung Lebah.
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