When
a traveler is browsing in Kraton,
then she/he should not miss The
Water Castle or known as Tamansari,
less than 1 Km west of Kraton. Just
west of the Kraton, are the ruins,
pools, arches and underground
passages of the former pleasure
gardens. It was built in 1758 by
Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as a rest
house and pleasure park for the
Royal family. Tamansari means
beautiful garden. It was badly
damaged due to an earthquake in
1867. Some parts of it, for instance
"Umbul
Binangun" bathing pools have
been restored.
Upon seeing the ruins of Taman Sari,
some cultural experts say that it
has multi purposed functions, such
as:
1. A Rest house, in the form of
water castle with beautiful
park. The air is fresh due to:
3. A place for meditation
4. An important palace and
shelter for the Sultan. It was
well protected. It had 2
Bastions
with 12 and 6 Cannons.
The Castle itself divided into two
(2) complexes. They are:
1.
Umbul Binangun - swimming
pool complex
It is the swimming pool where only
the Sultans women can frolic. In
this complex only woman employees
serve the Sultan. Theres also a
three story tower, with Sultan
private bedroom stands south of the
swimming pool and The Sultans
private bath-pool is behind the
tower. Somewhere in the south part
of the palace, there is a special
place, believed to be Sultans
meeting place, from time to time
with the Goddess of the South Sea,
Kanjeng Ratu Kidul.
2.
Pulo Kenongo - Complex
Pulo Kenongo, the Palace of Kenongo
Island was found in the middle of
Segaran Taman Sari. (Taman Sari
artificial lake, which was connected
by water canal to the other
artificial lake nearby the kraton)
Kenongo is a name of flower trees
planted in the front yard, where the
fragrance spread out in the palace.
Just like in a palace, there were
living rooms, bedrooms, rooms to
make Batik, a hall to perform
classical sacred dance of Bedoyo and
Srimpi, gates and sentry-boxes
guarded strongly by the palace
soldiers.
Getting
There
There are two ways to visit this
place. The one is through Pasar
Ngasem Bird Market, just go inside
and find an alley called KP III,
turn left, walk about 200 m, there
is the Pulo Kenongo rest house
complex. The other is through Jalan
Taman Sari, from Pasar Ngasem, go by
becak to South Square, around 0,5 Km
turn right, there is the East-main
Entrance, leads the way to the Royal
Swimming pools.
Where to
Stay
Tourist who wants to stay in the
heart of the city has many choices
since there are a lot of star and
non-star hotels available.
Other Things to See or Do
Sightseeing into the castles complex
and buy some souvenirs at Pasar
Ngasem.
Dining
Guide
There are many local 'warungs' (food
stalls) that serve local foods. You
can try one of the famous Yogyakarta
local dish calledGudeg, a curry of
jackfruit, chicken and egg served
with rice.
Souvenir
Tips
Pasar Ngasem - Bird Market, here is
a market place which sells several
kinds of cute birds and pets.
Traditional products and household
earthenwares are also sold here. In
this area Batik Painters do not only
sell their products, but some also
give instruction in this art. Art
sho
ps
and galleries of medium quality can
be found allong the alleys.
Travel
Tips
-
No travelers is allowed to take
picture of Sultan private
bedroom at Umbul Binangun -
Swimming Pool Complex.
-
For short distances you can take
a becak (pedicab) to drive you
around.
-
Some drivers offer you a
city-tour for almost a whole day
for 10.000 Rp per person.
-
Dress comfortably. Wear sneakers
and a hat, the temperature in
Jogjakarta is quite high. Bring
along an umbrella, in case of
rain.
-
When visiting Kraton or Taman Sari,
avoid wearing shorts or mini-skirts. Your pants or skirts should be long enough
to cover your knees. This conveys the message that you understand the local
customs. And the locals will also respect you more.
-
Bring along a camera to
capture the memorable
moments. You are allowed to
take pictures in this site
with a minimum fee.
