Yogyakarta Tours

This palace or Kraton is used to be the central of Yogyakarta Kingdom. The Palace complex is circled by a fortress where local call it Jeron Beteng or literally inside the fortress. It was built in 1756 by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as the result of Giyanti Agreement in 1755 which had divided Mataram Kingdom into two, Kasultanan Yogyakarta and Kasunanan Surakarta. The Sultanate of Yogyakarta monarch lasted to 1945 when Indonesia declared its independence at 17 August 1945. Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX as the king of Yogyakarta at that time then declared the region to be part of Indonesia. Even though Kraton is no longer to be the central of a government, up to now, it remains the central of Javanese culture where customs, art, and monarch system are still best kept.

Inside the palace there are some functional buildings for certain purposes, they are Pagelaran, Bangsal Pengapit, Bangsal Pengrawit, Siti Hinggil, Bangsal Manguntur Tangkil, Bangsal Witono, Balebang, Bale Anggun-Anggun, Bangsal Ponconiti, Bangsal Sri Manganti, Bangsal Trajumas, Bangsal Mandalasana, Bangsal Proboyekso, Bangsal Kencana, Bangsal Manis, Gedong Jene and many more.

To preserve precious historical relics of Kraton Yogyakarta, some buildings are modified into museums, they include :

1. Palanquin museum at Bangsal Trajumas.
2. Cup and crystal museum.
3. Painting and photograph museum at Bangsal Kesatriyan.
4. Museum of traditional costume and wedding ceremony at Bangsal Pengapit.
5. Batik museum which keeps batik Yogyakarta style.
6. Museum of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX.
   This museum is dedicated to honor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX both as a king and as national hero. Its collects some personal belonging of Sultan like clothes, medals of Honor, letters and documents, house hold, photographs and many more.
   
7. Chariots museum.
   The museum is located at Jl. Rotowijayan nearby the Sultan Palace. Different from other museum in Kraton, it collects chariots used by Kraton Yogyakarta for specific occasion. Some of the collections are chariot named Kyai Kanjeng Nyai Jimat which is the oldest one, Kyai Garuda Yeksa which is used during coronation parade of Sultan, Kyai Ratapralaya, Kyai Harsunogo and many others.