Kawasan World Cultural Heritage (WCH) Candi Borobudur mempunyai karakteristik pedesaan terletak di dataran Kedu Plateu, dikelilingi gunung-gunung berapi, pegunungan Menoreh, aliran sungai Progo dan Elo yang membelah kawasan. Dinamika perubahan kawasan tidak dapat lepas dari keberadaan Candi Borobudur yang berdiri abad VIII M, dipugar kembali (1906-1983), ditetapkan sebagai WCH (1991), dan sekarang sebagai tujuan wisata. Adanya dinamika perubahan kawasan, maka tujuan kajian adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimanakah perubahan struktur ruang, pola pemanfaatan ruang, dan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi perubahan tersebut. Metode penelitian induktif kualitatif, bersifat eksploratif, analisis diakronik dan sinkronik, dan menggunakan Geographic Information System. Ruang lingkup kajian adalah Kawasan WCH Candi Borobudur radius 5 km dengan batasan waktu dari tahun 1860-sekarang. Hasil analisis perkembangan struktur ruang kawasan yang terjadi (1860- sekarang) terdapat lima periodesasi dominan, yaitu sebelum pemugaran van Erp (1860- 1906), pemugaran van Erp dan sesudahnya (1906-1972), pemugaran Pemerintah RI (1973-1983), sesudah pemugaran-ditetapkan sebagai WCH (1984-1991), dan sesudahnya-sekarang (1992-sekarang). Perkembangan struktur ruang membentuk pola perubahan struktur ruang, pusat pertumbuhan awal dan baru, serta arah perkembangannya. Pola pemanfaatan ruang kawasan untuk pemukiman, pemerintahan, pariwisata, religi, perdagangan, hutan lindung, dan pertanian. Faktor dominan perubahan disebabkan oleh pemugaran Candi Borobudur dan masalah ekonomi, selain faktor status Candi Borobudur sebagai WCH, peraturan dan kebijakan penataan ruang, pertambahan penduduk, ekonomi, dan pergeseran budaya. Perubahan struktur dan pola pemanfaatan ruang secara signifikan menyebabkan lansekap budaya Kawasan Borobudur yang berkarakteristik pedesaan semakin berubah dan mengalami penurunan kualitas. Kesimpulan akhir adalah perlunya pelestarian kawasan secara menyeluruh, tidak terbatas pada bangunan Candi Borobudur tetapi juga kawasannya sebagai satu kesatuan lansekap budaya. Untuk itu perlu penataan kawasan yang terintegrasi dalam satu sistem regulasi yang komprehensif sehingga dapat mengendalikan perubahan ruang yang terjadi.

Situated in Kedu Plain, the area of Chandi Borobudur World Cultural Heritage resides in a rural landscape. It is surrounded by a series of volcanoes and Menoreh hills. The course of Progo River and its tributary Kali Elo flows in the middle of the area. The dynamic change of this area cannot be separated to the existence of Chandi Borobudur. The temple was built in the 8th Century AD and restored between 1906 to 1983. It has been listed as a World Cultural Heritage since 1991 and now becomes a prominent tourist destination in Indonesia. In view of this dynamic change, this study is addressed to recognize on how the spatial structure has changed, how the space has been utilised, and what are the factors responsible for those changes. This study is an exploratory research in which an inductive qualitative approach is used. Geographic Information System is applied for data analyses both diachronically and synchronically. The research covers an arbitrary area within 5 km. radius of Chandi Borobudur temple and concerns mainly on the changes occurred from 1860 up to the present. The result of this study shows that the spatial structure of the Borobudur area has evolved through five stages, namely pre-van Erp restoration (1860-1906), during and post van Erp restoration (1906 – 1972), during restoration by the Government of Republic of Indonesia (1972-1983), after the Government’s restoration up to the inscription of Chandi Borobudur in the World Cultural Heritage List (1984-1991), and since the Borobudur was declared as a World Cultural Heritage up to now (1992-present). The development of spatial structure has changed the pattern of spatial structure, created initial and new development centres, and affected the direction of the sprawl. The area of Borobudur has been used as settlement, governmental facilities, tourism, religious activities, small industries and trades, agriculture, and protected forest. The dominant factors responsible for such changes are economic aspects and the restoration of Chandi Borobudur, while the status of Chandi Borobudur as World Cultural Heritage, policy and regulation on space management, population growth, and cultural shift have to some extent also induce changes. Significant changes in spatial structure and utilization have altered and diminished the quality of the rural landscape of Chandi Borobudur area. Considering this, it is recommended to carry out holistic conservation not only for Chandi Borobudur but also for the surrounding area which forms a single cultural landscape. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive space management with integrated regulation by which changes in spatial structure and utilization within the area could be controlled.

Kata Kunci : Kawasan, Perubahan, Pedesaan, World Cultural Heritage, Area, Change, Rural, Culture Landscape