The Temple of the Hearth or the Temple of Fire, the state temple of the old kingdom, is one of Bali's most beautiful temples and stands at the northeastern boundary of town, seemingly in the middle of the forest. Three copper stelae testify to its antiquity and importance. The earliest one, written in Sanskrit, seems to date to the 9th century and mentions the deity Hyang Api, the god of fire. The second is in old Balinese, and the third is in old Javanese, the latter mentioning Hyang Kehen (the same deity from the 9th century inscriptions) and indicating eight villages around Bangli that worship the deity.

The temple was constructed on eight terraces, after the manner of ancient animistic sanctuaries that are built into the southern slope of a hill, much like Pura Besakih. A flight of 38 stairs adorned with wayang statues leads to the main entrance, where a frightening kala makara demon guardian is carved on the gateway. The outer courtyard has a huge old banyan tree with a kul kul drum inside, as well as a flat stone for offerings. The walls are inlaid with Chinese porcelain -- a common feature of ancient temples and palaces. The temple has 43 altars, including one 11-roofed meru to Hyang Api. Several are dedicated to the ancestors of sudra commoner clans such as the Ratu Pasek and Pande -- which means that worshipers from all over Bali come to pray here, especially on its Odalan (Mar 3). The huge Padmasana throne in the northeastern-most corner has beautiful carvings at the back.