Coverstory

Destinations

Yogyakarta’s Kraton: Symbol of the City’s Cultural Heritage

No trip to Yogyakarta would be complete without a visit to the Sultan's palace, the Kraton Kesultanan Yogyakarta. This cultural symbol of Yogyakarta, which teems with history, serves as both the residence of the Sultan and his family and the central offices of the city's government. It's also a museum of the national struggle, as Yogyakarta was the capital of the Republic of Indonesia during the war for independence.

The Kraton of Yogyakarta was built by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I in 1756 in the Hutan Beringan area. The Kraton extends from Tugu on the north to Krapyak on the south, and is bounded by two rivers, the Code on the east and the Winongo on the west. It lies halfway between two centers of spiritual power: Mount Merapi to the north, and the South Sea. Ten kings and their families have resided in the Kraton, from Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I to the current sultan, Hamengku Buwono X. Since Indonesia's independence, the Sultans of Yogyakarta have also served as Governors of the Special Yogyakarta District province.

The Tugu building, two kilometers from the main Kraton, was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1867. It was restored by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono VII in 1889, but with the design altered to its present form. The Tugu is connected in a straight line with Bangsal Manguntur Tangkil (the Sultan's throne room); when the Sultan sits on his throne and gazes toward Tugu, he will always be reminded of his people.

The Kraton of Yogyakarta faces north onto a broad plaza called Alun-Alun Lor. In the past, the Alun-Alun was used as a public gathering place, for military training of the Kraton troops, and for traditional ceremonies. Nowadays it is used mostly for the annual Garebeg and Sekaten rituals.

In the middle of Alun-Alun Lor are two huge banyan trees surrounded by fences, referred to as Beringin Kurung, which symbolize the dualistic nature of the world.

Near Alun-Alun Lor are 19 Joglo-style buildings called Pekapalan, which in the past served as accommodation for out-of-town Bupati (Regents) visiting the Kraton for official business or state ceremonies. To the west of Alun-Alun Lor is Masjid Agung, the Grand Mosque, built by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I in 1773.

The Kraton has an area of 14,000 square meters and is surrounded by a wall (benteng) four meters high and three and a half meters thick. To connect the area within the wall with the outside, there are five gates, called Plengkung: Plengkung Nirbaya (Gading) on the south, Plengkung Jagabaya (Tamansari) on the west, Plengkung Jagasura (Ngasem) on the northwest, Plengkung Tarunasura (Wijilan) on the northeast, and Plengkung Madyasura on the east. In the time of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono II, when Yogyakarta was at war with the British, Plengkung Madyasura was demolished to prevent the enemy troops from entering. Of the five Plengkung, only two are still intact: Plengkung Nirbaya (Gading) and Plengkung Tarunasura (Wijilan).

Inside the Kraton you will also find the carriage museum, Museum Kareta Kraton Yogyakarta, within the Kestalan complex around 50 meters to the west of Pagelaran Kraton. This building was formerly the carriage house, and was surrounded by the royal stables, or Istal. During the time of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, the stables were converted into housing for the royal servants, or abdi dalem, and the carriage house is now the Carriage Museum.

Museum Kareta was inaugurated in 1985, when there were only 18 royal carriages on display. The collection has now grown to 22, and all can still be used, drawn by specially selected horses. One of the royal carriages, Kanjeng Nyai Jimat, is considered sacred and is ritually bathed once a year; this carriage, originally used by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, is the oldest in the museum's collection. The carriage was made in the Netherlands between 1750 and 1761 and was a gift from Governor General Jacob Mossel.

Another feature of the Kraton is Taman Sari, located to the northwest of the palace and within the palace walls. Taman Sari was built in 1758 by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I to serve as both a recreation facility and a fortress. It was built on the site of the Pacethokan baths, whose water comes from a natural spring. It was only used until the end of the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono II in 1812. As a place of recreation, Taman Sari is also called the "water castle," since it is basically a model palace in the water, with an artificial sea called the Segaran and an artificial island called Kenanga. On the island is a two-story building called Majethi, or sometimes Cemethi; Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I used to retreat to this building to meditate. From the top of the building, you can clearly see half the city spread out below.
Another structure within the Taman Sari complex is a set of swimming pools: Umbul Sari on the south, exclusively for the Sultan and his consort; Umbul Binangun in the middle, for the Sultan's wives and concubines; and Umbul Muncar on the north, for the Sultan's children and other relatives.

Taman Sari's architecture reflects many cultural influences: native Javanese, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, European, and Chinese. All this can be seen in the simple building techniques. Obviously, they were not using steel-reinforced cement in those days; the entire complex is made from bricks and cement, and researchers believe the cement mixture included coconut liquid and egg whites.

The history of Yogyakarta's Kraton lies not only in its physical structures or its royal residents, but also in the royal servants (abdi dalem) and soldiers. Without expecting anything in return, they loyally and voluntarily dedicate their lives to preserving the existence of the Kraton. The role and function of the temple guards has, of course, changed. When Yogyakarta was an independent kingdom, they were an actual military force. Now that Yogyakarta is part of the Republic of Indonesia, they serve mostly as ceremonial guards for annual traditional rituals – Garebeg Syawal, Garebeg Besar and Garebeg Mulud (Sekaten) – and other important events at the Kraton.

The Kraton of Yogyakarta has ten troops of soldiers, each comprising between 40 and 60 men. Each troop is led by a Panji, who, with two assistants (Panji I or Panji Prentah, and Panji II or Deputy to Panji I), keeps the troops orderly and issues orders. The Panji is advised by a Kapten; above them is a Pandega and above him, the Manggalayudha, the highest commander of the royal troops, who is directly responsible to the Pengageng Tepas Keprajuritan Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

Kraton Kesultanan Yogyakarta holds several traditional ceremonies every year. The best known, and most popular with the local people, are called Garebeg and take place three times a year, at major Islamic holidays. The word Garebeg comes from the Javanese Grebeg, meaning "accompanied by followers," because the Sultan's procession out of the palace is, naturally, escorted by huge crowds.

The Garebeg Syawal ceremony takes place on the first day of the month of Syawal, to commemorate Idul Fitri. Garebeg Besar falls on the tenth of Besar (Dzulhijjah), to celebrate Idul Adha; Garebeg Maulud is on the twelfth of Mulud (Rabiul Awal) to commemorate the birth of the prophet Muhammad.

At each Garebeg, the Sultan distributes food to his people in the form of gunungan, giant cones of rice. The Gunungan are made of sticky rice, eggs, fruits and vegetables, formed into huge cones resembling mountains; hence the name "gunungan". The ritual begins in the Kemandungan Lor (Keben) courtyard. Escorted by Kraton guards, the abdi dalem carry the gunungan from the Ponconiti stalls toward Alun-Alun Lor by way of Sitihinggil Lor and Bangsal Pagelaran. When it arrives at Alun-Alun Lor, the gunungan are greeted with a respectful salvo from the Kraton guards.

The gunungan are then carried into the courtyard of the Grand Mosque, where the Abdidalem Penghulu Kraton recites prayers for the glory of the Sultan and the prosperity of the people. The people then swarm over the gunungan to obtain a bit of the food, and the blessings inherent in it.

The Kraton Kesultanan Yogyakarta is fascinating and unique. Its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty make it an essential destination for all foreign and domestic tourists visiting Yogya.