Yogyakarta

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Overview

If Jakarta is Java’s financial and industrial powerhouse, Yogyakarta is its soul. Central to the island’s artistic and intellectual heritage, Yogyakarta (pronounced ‘Jogjakarta’ and called Yogya, 'Jogja', for short) is where the Javanese language is at its purest, the arts at their brightest and its traditions at their most visible.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Kraton

Yogyakarta

Beside the southern alun-alun (main square), Yogya's enormous kraton (palace) is the cultural and political heart of this fascinating city. Effectively a…
Taman Sari

Yogyakarta

This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his…
Sono-Budoyo Museum

Yogyakarta

This treasure chest is one of the best museums in Yogya. It is only small but is home to a first-class collection of Javanese art, including wayang kulit…
Affandi Museum

Yogyakarta

One of Indonesia’s most celebrated artists, Affandi (1907–90) lived and worked in a wonderfully quirky self-designed riverside studio, about 6km east of…
Kota Gede

Yogyakarta

In 1582, Kota Gede was made the first capital of the Mataram kingdom, the founder of which, Panembahan Senopati, is buried in a tomb here. Today, the area…
Pagelaran Pavilion

Yogyakarta

Due to a schism in the ruling royal family, there is a small portion of the kraton, overlooking the northern alun-alun, that is walled off from the main…
Tombs of Mataram Kotagede

Yogyakarta

The 16th-century founder of the Mataram kingdom, Panembahan Senopati, is buried in the small graveyard of an old mosque located in the suburb of Kota Gede…
Pasar Beringharjo

Yogyakarta

Yogya’s main market is a lively and fascinating place to visit. Batik, catering for tourist tastes and mostly of the inexpensive batik cap (stamped batik)…