On the main road between the airport and the city stands the Affandi Museum
(1907 - 1990) in a lush garden next to his peculiar private home on stilts.
He was Indonesia's foremost impressionist painter who built a private
museum for his own paintings and of those of his daughter Kartika.
Affandi's grave (died in May 1990) lies in the backyard next to the
museum.
Situated on the eastern outskirts of the city, it has an interesting
permanent exhibition of batiks in classic and modern designs. The process
ofbatik can also be seen here, both the hand drawn and hand stamped.
Imogiri is the official cemetery of the royal descendants from Yogyakarta
and Surakarta. The royal graveyard is located on a hilltop, reachable by
345 stone steps leading to it.
Imogiri is about 17 kms southeast of Yogyakarta and easily accessible by
bus or car. The tombs are built within three main courtyards.
Entry into the smaller courtyards housing the tombs of the princes is
allowed only on Monday 09.00 - 12.00 or Friday 13.00 - 16.00. Traditional
Javanese dress has to be worn, which however can be hired on the spot at a
modest fee. The cemetery is closed during the Moslem month of Ramadhan.
The resort area is surrounded by gardens, hot springs, ponds and
bungalow-style hotels. Other features include 200 ha of pine forest, a
nearby market and marvelous views.
This resort on the slopes of Mt. Merapi, 24 km north of Yogyakarta is
surrounded by an enchanting countryside. The "Telogo Muncar" waterfall
and swimming pool make this resort a very pleasant recreation place.
Bungalows are available for rent.
Southwest of Yogyakarta lies the village of Kasongan, known for its
artistic pottery and earthenware. Guidance from contemporary Indonesian
artists has turned Kasongan earthenware into works of art which can be
bought inexpensively at art shops all over Java.
Kotagede, about five kilometers southeast of Yogyakarta, is a neat little
town which was once the seat of the mighty Mataram empire. In this old
palace town with its walled-in houses, the graves of the first rulers of
Mataram are still to be found. Since the 1930s, however, Kotagede has
become famous for being the center of the Yogya silverwork industry.
Kotagede is easily reached by "andong", the four wheeled horse-drawn cart,
by taxi, bus, or car.
There are a number of workshops where visitors are welcome to watch silver
being transformed into beautiful works of art known as "Yogya Silver".
Northeast of Semarang, is a town with white sandy beaches around it, and is
also famous for its wood carving industry. Most masters of this
sophisticated art come from around this area. It is also the birthplace of
Indonesia's heroine of the national women's liberation movement. An ancient
Portuguese Fort can be found to the east of Jepara.
Malioboro Road (Jalan Malioboro)
This museum, founded in November 1935 and designed by the Dutch architect
Kersten, is built in traditional Javanese architecture. It exhibits
weapons, leather and wooden puppets of wayang theater, masks, statues,
textiles, curios and old Javanese gamelan instruments. The museum is
situated on the northern side of the city's main square in front of the
Sultan's Palace.
The palace court with its grand and elegant Javanese architecture lies in
the center of the city. It was founded by Prince Mangkubumi in 1755. The
Prince was then called Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. He chose the right
location of the compound between the Winongo River and the Code River. The
palace stretches out from north to south.
The front yard is called alun-alun Utara (the North Square), and the back
yard is called Alun-alun Selatan (the South Square).
The layout of the buildings shows that the Palace, the commemorative column
and Mount Merapi lie in one line.
The palace meeting hall is called the Pagelaran, where formal meetings of
palace officials are held, while the "Manguntur Tingkil" hall is the place
where the Sultan is seated.
The palace visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of the kraton in former times
by visiting the life-size diorama of wedding ceremonies on the palace
meeting hall, performed by puppets which are intentionally arranged to
create such an atmosphere. Sets of Javanese musical instruments, antiques
and heirlooms have made the palace of Yogyakarta worth to visit.
A seaside resort 27 km south of Yogyakarta on the Indian Ocean. According
to Javanese mythology, the Goddess of the South Seas, Nyai Loro Kidul or
Ratu Kidul, was married to Panembahan Senopati who founded the Mataram
Kingdom. Since that time, every year the sultans of Yogyakarta have made
special offerings to her in a beach-side ceremony called "Labuhan".
This magnificent Shivaite temple derives it name from the village where it
is located. Locally known as the Loro Jonggrang Temple, or the Temple of
the "Slender Virgin", it is the biggest and most beautiful Hindu temple in
Indonesia.
Seventeen kilometers east of Yogyakarta, it is believed to have been built
by King Balitung Maha Sambu in the middle of the ninth century. Its
parapets are adorned with a bas-reliefs depicting the famous Ramayana
story.
The first open-air theater on the southern side of the temple was built in
1960 and the new theater on the western side of the temple in 1988. During
full moon evenings in the month from May to October, the Ramayana ballet is
performed right here. The temple complex of Prambanan lies among green
fields and villages. It has eight shrines, of which the three main ones are
dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
The main temple of Shiva rises to a height of 130 feet and houses the
magnificent statue of Shiva's consort, Durga.
In 1891, Eugene Dubois, a French anthropologist discovered fossils of
Phitecantropus Erectus or "Java man", the oldest known man. Again in 1930
and 1931, Ngandong Village, Trinil-Mojokerto, was marked with the discovery
of fossils of a man that belonged to the Pleistocene Period.
Prof. Dr. Van Koenigswald in 1936 found more evidence about human
evolution. He discovered some fossils that support the theory of human
evolution. Other fossils, which include those of mammoths (prehistoric
elephant) are now preserved in the Bandung Geological Museum. In mid 1980,
scientists were startled by the finding of a complete 4m tall elephant.
Built in 1758 by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I just west of the kraton, part
of this pleasure garden and castle is at present no more than an
intriguing collection of ruins, pools, arches and underground passages
enclosed by massive walls, however, the central courtyard with the
nymph-baths has been restored.
The Water Castle is located in the older part of the city within walking
distance from the Bird Market. A number of batik workshops line the
avenue leading to the pleasure garden's entrance.
Batik, leather puppets, silverware, tortoise shell and horn ornaments,
pottery, antique jewelry and paintings.
See the archipelaGo listings for more information.
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Places of interest in
Yogyakarta
