When you’re having a trip to
Yogyakarta and looking for something fancy and classy, maybe Tamansari will be
your perfect choice. The fact that it used to be the palace where the
princesses of Keraton did their daily
bathe routine gives it a pretty touch of architecture. Tamansari was built by
Prince Mangkubumi or Sultan Hamengku Buwono I to honor the merit of his wives
in the time of war. The place itself is located only 500metres away in the
South of Keraton. It is surrounded by
a man-made lake called Segaran and in
the past was scented with natural flowers.
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| Picture Farmasi.ugm.ac.id |
Because it is very near Keraton, you will not have any
trouble finding it. It’s within walking distance so you can walk or, if too
lazy to do so, use becak. You just
have to pay IDR5000,- for this
traditional vehicle. The admission fee to enter this palace is also very
cheap. For local tourist, you just have to pay IDR3000,- (less than 50cents)
and for foreign tourist, the fee is IDR7000,- (less than a dollar). With a
price this cheap, you will experience an old touch of Yogyakarta that you will
cherish forever. However, the palace is only open from 9 AM to 3.30 PM so you
have to make sure not to come too early or too late. The plus side is, it’s open
all week so you will have plenty of time to come visit. Also, you may use the
help of tour guide for only IDR20,000,- (about 2.5 dollars).
When you reach the portal of the palace, you will see a
stage where the dances performed for Sultan was held. Surrounding it is the
place where the musicians played their instruments to complement the dance.
Nearby, you will see an area where the bathing routine took place. In the past,
this place was strictly closed for people other than Sultan and his family.
There, you can see a unit of bathing pools with cream-colored walls adjacent to
it. The area itself is divided into three pools; Umbul Kawitan (pool for
Sultan’s children), Umbul Pamuncar (pool for Sultan’s mistresses), and Umbul
Panguras (Pool for Sultan).
Besides the pools, Tamansari also has a three-story tower
where Sultan kept his valuable possessions. There, you can see a beautiful and
ornamented caldron that used to be the mirror for Sultan’s wives. To use it,
the caldron had to be filled with clear water and the princesses had to wait
until the water was no longer rippled to see their reflection. To reach the
second floor, there are stairs made of teak to add the sense of luxury to this
place. On the top of the tower, you can see the whole palace and imagining that
Sultan used to stand there observing his princesses bathe is mesmerizing. Not
far from the tower, you then can see the place where Sultan used to meditate
and plan his war strategies to preserve Keraton
Yogyakarta. Another place that you should see when visiting Tamansari is Gedung
Kenongo. It’s the building where Sultan and his family had their meal. It’s
also the highest building in the area so you can enjoy the sunset from there.
All
these amazing features are what make Tamansari a place you shouldn’t miss when
you are in Yogyakarta. So, bring your camera and capture the moment of
experiencing the old Yogyakarta.
