Baron

Amid Yogyakarta’s rapid development, Kotagede seems to move at its own pace. Narrow streets, old walls, rows of tiled-roof houses, silver workshops, and the daily activities of local residents create an atmosphere unlike the city’s busier tourist areas. Located in the southern part of Yogyakarta, Kotagede is known as the former capital of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom and as a cultural district that continues to preserve its history through architecture, urban layout, traditions, and community...

Set in a thickly inhabited district south of the Yogyakarta Palace, a historic complex appears to whisk visitors to the golden age of the Yogyakarta Sultanate. This complex is Tamansari (or Taman Sari, as it is often spelled). It is called the Water Palace because in the past it had bathing pools, canals, artificial lakes, man-made islands and other buildings surrounded by water. Tamansari is not only a tourist destination that has beautiful corners. With its thick walls, lengthy corridors...

Javanese history, culture and tradition still live at the Yogyakarta Palace, which is a center of Javanese culture amid the fast modernization of the city of Yogyakarta. The complex is more than just a historic monument or a tourist attraction; it is a live royal palace that still has many purposes today. The palace, or Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, is the Sultan’s home and a place for traditional events, cultural performances and educational activities. The palace complex is also partly...