Taman Sari

Taman sari

Taman Sari means beautiful park. It is about ten minutes walk from the Sultan's Palace south-west ward. Sultan Hamengku Buwono I in 1757 built this park. He created a new style that was a combination and a mixture of Javanese and Portuguese architecture. Taman sari was once a beautiful and sophisticated water-park. The area around the park eastward to the city quarters called "Kampung Segaran" was once full of water. This place is now called Suryoputran. Segaran is a Javanese word means a man-made ocean or an artificial sea. Every time the Sultan visited the park, he went there by rowing a private canoe through the suspension bridge called "Kreteg Gantung" which lay in front of the Palace gate, southward or northward of

Kemandungan. The remained building that was once connected by the suspension bridge can still be seen nowadays. Besides water transportation, there was also an underground passage or alley from the Sultan Palace leading to one of the park buildings which called Pasarean Ledok Sari. The castle once has a place for relaxation and entertainment as well, a unique mechanism of defence.

Because the water which flows within Taman Sari was not only to beautify the castle, but it also functioned as a secret weapon for avoiding dangers. Whenever the enemies attacked, Sultan and his family would flee away through the underground passage. When all Sultan's family was already in a safe place, the Watergate would be opened and the water would overflow the passages, so that enemy would be sunk.

One part of the place was called Pulau Kenanga because in the front yard of the building grown Kenanga trees (Canangium Odoratum). The flowers spread out the sweet fragrance through all parts of the park. The lofty buildings such as the pond were built especially for the Sultan and his family as a bath-place. Recent restoration has been done on the underground passage leading to the west area, the bulwark that is encircled the area of the Palace, and another path, which lead southward to a small village, called Krapyak.

Besides enjoying the old and ancient building, tourists can also visit many art shops and art galleries along the alleys.

Benteng Vredeburg

Benteng Vredeburg (lit. Vredeburg fort) is situated exactly face to face with Gedung Agung. The Dutch colonial built it in 1765 during the domination. It was built in order to anticipate the cannon shot from the Sultan's troops. Its function was also to protect the occupation of the Dutch Residence. This fort is surrounded by moats that still can be seen until now. The fort is rectangular-shaped, with kind of citadel (bastion) on its corner, which enable Dutch's soldiers to walk around and aim a good shot. From the base of the cannon on the southern bastion, visitors may enjoy wonderful views of Sultan's Palace and other historical building around, and certainly the busy traffic of Yogyakarta. The fort can be reach on foot from the center of the municipality.

Kotagede Royal Cemetery

Kotagede, which is often, called Sargede lies about five km southeast of Yogyakarta. In this old-city, tourist can visit the cemetery of the Mataram Kings like Sutowijoyo, also known as Ngabei Loring Pasar the founder of the Mataram kingdom who was then called Panembahan Senopati. There is also the unique tomb of Ki Ageng Mangir. He was Panembahan Senopati's son in law and his enemy at the same time. His body was buried outside the complex. A hundred meters away from the tomb, there is a stone called "Watu Gilang", the stone on which Panembahan Senopati smashed the head of Ki Ageng Mangir to dead.

Those who want to go inside the cemetery have to wear traditional clothes that one can hire there. Kotagede Royal Cemetery opens on Monday at 10 am - 12 am, and at 01.30 pm - 4 pm on Friday. In addition to cemetery, there are "graceful gates"; ponds will be full of Clarius Melenodermas and yellow turtle. This turtle is hundred years of age and also had had believed as a sacred miraculous turtle.

Imogiri Royal Cemetery

This cemetery located on a beautiful hill about 12 km from Yogyakarta. The tomb of Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo, the third king of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom, is on the top of the hill. All the kings of the Mataram Kingdom, from Sultan Hamengku Buwono I until Hamengku Buwono IX and their families as the Surakarta Kingdoms as ell were all buried at the Imogiri Royal Cemetery.

This cemetery was built in 1645. Tourists have to wear traditional Javanese clothes like in Kotagede. Everyday many people visit Imogiri and step up on 345 stairs to reach the top of the hill where the tomb of the kings rested. The tomb can only be visited on Monday at 10am - 12 am, and on Friday at 1pm - 4pm.

Prambanan Temple

Prambanan temple is located some 17 km from Yogyakarta. Tourists can't miss the temple because it is only 100 meters off the main street. Sanjaya Dynasty built this 47 meters high Hindu temple in the 9th century. It consists of three courtyards. The main temple is located in the inner courtyard and surrounded by several small temples called "Perwara". Local chieftains contributed some of these as a tribute of their acceptance to the king.

As a Hindu temple the main temple has three shrines, dedicated to the Hindu trinity. Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Each of these shrines is facing a smaller shrine for their vehicles. The cow Nandi is the Vehicle of Shiva, the destroyer God. The eagle Garuda is the vehicle of Vishnu, the guardian God. And the swan Angsa is the vehicle of Brahma, the creator God.

Entering the main temple from the north, one will find a statue of a very beautiful princess, Roro Jonggrang. According to the legend, Roro Jonggrang was the daughter of King Boko, which was cursed into a statue. The legend also says that a young powerful man named Bandung Bondowoso wanted to marry Roro Jonggrang. Since she doesn't love him, Roro Jonggrang tried to avoid the marriage by asking Bandung Bondowoso a present. She would only marry him if Bandung were really a powerful man. To prove the power Bandung was asked to build a thousand temples in one night. Having supernatural power, Bandung has almost successfully finished his task, but Roro Jonggrang prevents this excellent achievement. Jonggrang asked the maidens of the east village of the temples to burn the hay and pound the rice in order to cause the situation like dawn time for sunrise.

So when the cocks begin to crow, all the supernatural beings flee away because they think it was already dawn. Being unable to control his anger, Bandung Bondowoso curses Roro Jonggrang into a statue that now completes the temple. Relieves depicting the heavenly creatures were carved around the foot of Civa temple, symbolizing the cosmic system. Entering the temple from the east and walking around the sub base of the temple with the main shrine on the right (Pradaksina). Tourists will see the whole relief of the story of the Ramayana. This relief portrays Ramayana story is ends at balustrade of Brahma temple. The story of Kresnadwipayana, which tells the childhood of Prabu Krishna, can be seen on the balustrade of Vishnu temple.

From May-October, at full moon, the story of Ramayana is usually presented in the evening from 7.30 pm - 09.30 pm. As a traditional dance, the show performed on an open-air stage to the west of the temple.

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur is the greatest of all Buddhist temples in the globe and one of the wonders of the world. Built around the beginning of the 9th century by the Syailendra Dynasty. When Buddhism decreased in Java, Borobudur was abandoned. Only then it was discovered by The British's Raffles in 1814 when he ruled Java

Borobudur is 42 m in height and has 10 terraces (10 levels). The three top levels are circular where the Buddhist stupas are placed and the seven others are square on which the reliefs of Buddha Gautama's life and love are carved.

Baron, Kukup and Krakal Beach

Around 60 km south of Yogyakarta municipality, at Gunung Kidul regency, there are three beautiful beaches, namely: Baron beach, Kukup beach, and Krakal beach. The way to go there is very interesting because it passes a place called Pegunungan Seribu (a thousand mountains).
First destination is Baron beach. It is a bay with big wave. Baron beach is popular as fish catching area.
The next place to visit is Kukup beach, it is located about one kilometer from Baron beach. It has a lot of rock caves inhabited by crabs and fishes.
Go to the next beach, about 6 kilometres from Kukup beach, we will find Krakal beach- a white sand beach stretch along 5 kilometers.