The Kraton building with grand and elegant Javanese architecture is located in the center of Yogyakarta City. This building was founded by Prince Mangkubumi, who later had the title Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, in 1775. He chose this place as the place to build the building, right between the Winongo river and the Code river, a drained swampy area.
The Kraton building stretches from north to south. The front yard of the Palace is called the north alun-alun and the back yard is called the south alun-alun. The design of this building shows that the Palace, Tugu and Mount Merapi are on one line/axis which is believed to be sacred. In the past, Sri Sultan used to meditate somewhere on this axis before leading a meeting or giving orders to his subordinates.
What is called Kraton is the place where queens reside, it comes from the words: ka + queen + an = kraton. Also called kadaton, namely ke + datu + an = kedaton, the place of the datu-datu or queens. The Indonesian word for palace, so kraton is a palace, but palace is not kraton. Kraton is a palace that contains religious meaning, philosophical meaning and cultural meaning.
And actually the Yogyakarta Palace is full of the meanings mentioned above. The architecture of the buildings, the location of the wards, the carvings, the decorations, even the color of the buildings also have meaning. The trees planted in it are not just random trees. Everything contained here seems to give us advice to love and surrender ourselves to God Almighty, to be simple and diligent, to be careful in our daily behavior and so on.
Who was the architect of this palace? He is Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I himself. When he was still young, the king had the title of prince Mangkubumi Sukowati and received the nickname, according to Dr. F. Pigeund and Dr. “).
The palace complex is located in the middle, but the palace area stretches between the Code River and the Winanga River, from north to south from Tugu to Krapyak. However, the villages clearly give us evidence that there was a connection between the residents of the village and their duties at the palace in the past, for example Gandekan = the residence of the gandek-gandek (couriers) of the Sri Sultan, Wirobrajan where the Wirobrojo palace soldiers lived, Pasindenan where the pasinden lived -pasinden (singers) palace.
The area of the Yogyakarta Palace is 14,000 square meters. Inside there are many buildings, courtyards and fields.
The palace complex is surrounded by a wide wall, called Beteng. Its length is 1 km, it is rectangular, its height is 3.5 m, its width is 3 to 4 m. In several places in the Beteng there are alleys or roads for storing weapons and ammunition, in the four corners there are bastions with small holes in the walls to spy on enemies. Three of the bastions can still be seen today. The fort is surrounded on the outside by a wide and deep ditch.
HISTORY
In 1955, the Giyanti agreement divided the two Mataram kingdoms into Ksunanan Surakarta under the government of Sunan Pakubuwono III and Ngayogyakarta Sultanate under the government of Prince Mangkubumi who later had the title Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. Pesanggrahan Ayodya was later built into the Yogyakarta Sultanate Palace.
More than 200 years ago, the place where the Yogyakarta Palace is now located was a swamp area known as Umbul Pachetokan, which was later built into a guest house called Ayodya. Yogyakarta Palace faces north, on the north-south axis, between Mount Merapi and the south sea. In the palace hall, you can see the pisowanan (grand trial) scene where Sri Sultan sits on the throne in front of the palace officials.
Regol Donopratomo, which connects the Sri Manganti courtyard with the inner palace courtyard, is guarded by 2 (two) dwarapala statues named Cingkarabala and Balaupata, which symbolize the good personality of humans, who always use their conscience to always do good and forbid evil deeds. In the inner courtyard of the palace, you can see the Sri Sultan’s residence, which is usually used to receive honored guests and hold parties. In this place there is also a keputren or residence of the Sultan’s unmarried daughters.
The Yogyakarta Palace was built in 1256 or Java 1682, commemorated with a condrosengkolo memet at the Kemagangan gate and at the Gading Mlati gate, in the form of two dragons coiled around each other. In Javanese: “Dwi naga rasa baru” Meaning: Dwi=2, naga=8, rasa=6, singular=I, read from the back of 1682. The color of the dragon is green, green is a symbol of hope.
To the outside of the gate, on the cliff walls on either side are decorations consisting of two (2) dragons getting ready to defend themselves. In Javanese: “Dwi naga rasa wani”, meaning: Dwi=2, naga=8, rasa=6, wani=1 so 1682.
The year is the same, but the decorations are not the same. This depends on the architecture, purpose and angle it is decorated with. Red dragon color. Red is a symbol of courage. In the Kemengangan yard, martial arts tests using spears were previously held between prospective palace soldiers. They must have been angry and brave at that time.
Opening hours
Every day from 09.00 – 14.00 WIB
Except on Fridays, the Kraton is only open until midnight; 11.00 WIB
Price of admission
Local tourists: IDR 7,000.00
Foreign tourists: Rp. 12,500,-