Tirta Empul is not only one of the most important temples but also one of the most famous, because of its holy water that is used for purification. Next to the complex is also a modern villa on the hill, built for President Sukarno’s visit in 1954. The temple was built around 960 A.D. during the Warmadewa dynasty. The dynasty was founded by Sri Kesari Warmadewa. He was the first Balinese king to have left an inscription on the Belanjong pillar.
One of the descendants was the famous king Udayana Warmadewa. He was the father of King Airlangga, who also ruled over the island of Java.Tirta Empul means “holy water spring”. The spring’s water is distributed to various purification pools that Balinese Hindus use for their purification rituals