Yogyakarta Palace: Culture Palace and Beauty of Java

Yogyakarta Sultanate palace, better known by Sultan Palace is a living museum for Javanese culture in Yogyakarta and became center of Javanese culture development. Tourists can see and learn directly how Javanese culture is maintained and preserved in Yogyakarta Palace.

Yogyakarta Palace is located in Yogyakarta city center. This palace was once founded by “Sultan Hamengku Buwono I” in 1755. Most palace complex are museum that holds various collections belonging to empire, such as heirloom palace replica and various gamelans. Among them are Railway Museum, Yogyakarta Palace Museum and Batik Museum.

Besides various culture and architecture objects, you can see musical performances, macapat, puppet is always staged around 10:00 to 12:00 on Sri Manganti room.

Historical factors attract tourists come to Yogyakarta Palace because this palace is still exists today and it is largest and most famous palace in Indonesia.

In palace’s life activity, Sultan is number one figure, military and religious power. Therefore, Sultan’s figure considered sacred, either with his activity. In addition, each room of palace and spatial has its own sanctity.

Many relics in palace storing history that is useful for research purposes and science reference. Objects such as library that stored ancient manuscripts, royal heritage and museum that holds a collection of Sultan’s photos and his families in Yogyakarta.

On the particular day and already scheduled, tourists can see the art show held at Sultan Palace. The performing arts such as “macapat song”, shadow play, puppet show and traditional dances. To see the art show, you do not need spent additional cost or free of charge.

1.    The outermost layer

In this layer there is South square with all equipment that consists north square with Great Mosque, Pekapalan, Pegelaran and Markets. Meanwhile, South Square consists of “Kandang Gajah Kepatihan” as bureaucracy facility and castle as military defense.

2.    The second layer

Siti Hinggil is a yard which is also called an elevated courtyard. In north Siti Hinggil there are places called “Witana ward” and “Maguntur Tangkil ward”. Those places used for state ceremonies. In south Siti Hinggil often used for Sultan’s personal concern such as watch soldiers trained, shoot tiger or bull with a human (called rampogan). The last part of this layer is “Supit Urang” or “Pemengkang” which is road around Siti Hinggil.

3.    The third layer

Third layer consists of “Kemadhungan Court” on North and South. Kemadhungan used for transit room towards the main room. On north of Kemadhungan there is a ward named “Pancaniti ward”.

4.    The Fourth Layer

There is “Court of Sri Manganti” and Sri Manganti ward that used for waiting room before meet the king. In this ward there is “Trajumas ward” located on north side Kemagangan. This hall is designated as a last transit point to the center of Palace.

5.    The Fifth Layer

The final layer is center of concentric contained Kedhaton yard. The building layout consists of Tratag, pendhopo and pringgitan.

HOW TO GET THERE?

To get to Yogyakarta palace is very easy, because it is located right in city center. The palace front yard is Yogyakarta North Square and palace backyard is Yogyakarta South Square.

To visit the Sultan Palace, there are two entrances counters, namely “Tepas Keprajuritan” (Front North Square) and second entrance in “Tepas Tourism” (Regol Keben). If you enter the palace through first door so you limited to entering performances ward and Siti Hinggil and see some Palace trains collection.

Meanwhile, when you entered from second gate, you can explore and entered Sri Manganti and Kedathon complex that contained Kencono Ward which is Sultan Palace main hall. The distance between the first and second counters can be reached by foot or by rickshaw.

ATTRACTION

Yogyakarta palace, as a Javanese culture representation can be found when you get into palace, like Javanese dances performance on various stories (chronicle of Java land, Ramayana epic) performed by dancers that are reliable and ready to amaze audience. The sound of floated “gemelan” (Javanese instrument) beautifully mixed with verses sung by “sinden” (female Javanese singer) and “Warangono” (male Javanese singer).

In addition to dance, puppet show also presented a very interesting to be seen, the puppet is different from most because their movement is almost similar to ballet movement. Javanese dance is performances in open space, so you can watch from different angles freely. Perfection of a Javanese culture, beautiful dance deserves to be seen.

Viewing wards on Yogyakarta palace will be fascinating. “Joglo” (typical of Java building) with a beautiful atmosphere with ornaments that decorate in Java-arabic style in every wall and pillar, also a wide variety of leafy plants made sacred atmosphere more cool and attractive. There is interesting to see around the wards, when you enter the Palace area then it will always meet with palace guards (specialized workers) or commonly called by “Abdi Dalem”.

Abdi Dalem is not allowed or prohibited to backs on Kedhaton. So they will always facing Kedhaton. The reason is Kedathon is a symbol of King, where king seated and that one way to pay tribute to King. Interesting isn’t it?

In Sultan palace also presented various beautiful Javanese cultures such as batik, which is a Javanese cultural heritage that has been recognized internationally. Some paintings, Kris, Javanese kings photos, genealogy king of Java, and various results of Javanese culture. When entering batik house, it is forbidden to photograph because all there is a characteristic motif of Yogyakarta Palace which is a symbol of Java royal palace that can only be printed and used only in palace. Various batik motifs is very interesting indeed, a unique design and is different from most of batik.

Some gamelan instruments are also displayed in Yogyakarta Palace. Gamelan comes from the word “gamel” means “hit”. Gamelan itself is typical musical instrument of Java. Gamelan played along with singer called Sinden (female) or Warangono (man).