Puro Mangkunegaran, a Great Palace in Surakarta

Puro Mangkunegaran is a palace where the king of Surakata, Sri Paduka Mangkunagara lives. The palace was built in 1757. The architecture design of this palace is so incredible that it has unique characteristic. The palace consists of many buildings, including pamedan, pendopo, pringgitan, dalem and kaputran. All of the buildings are fenced with strong walls. 
The construction of this palace started after Salatiga Agreement. Salatiga Agreement showed the initial construction of Praja Mangkunegara. The Agreement devided the reign of Java into Kesultanan Yogyakarta and Kasunanan Surakarta by VOC in 1755. Raden Mas Said, with his title Mangkunegoro I started to build his authority in the western part of Pepe River, which is now known as Solo or Surakarta.

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Location

          The palace is situated near the complex of traditional market of Surakarta, including Klewer, PGS and Beteng. The palace is so vast that it may take more than a day to complete your trip exploring the city. Puro Mangkunegaran has been restored in some parts since the VOC in central Java. No wonder that the palace has European style decoration at this moment. There are many parts you can explore while visiting the palace including Pendopo Agung which covers an area of more than 3,500 m². The design of the palace is unique and classical. The roofs are designed with Joglo (a design typically found in traditional houses of Java).

Activities

          There are many activities you can do in Puro Mangkunegaran. The main activity is surely sightseeing around the palace. The atmosphere of the palace is so calm and peaceful. It’s perfect for you who want to relieve your stress. You can walk around the palace and enjoy the calm and peaceful atmosphere. You can also explore the palace by learning further about the history of the palace and everything related to the palace, including the typical art and all traditional heritage of the palace. Observe carefully all of the things about the palace. When you get back from your travel in Surakarta, you will have complete knowledge about the history of Surakarta.

Accommodations

          Puro Mangkunegaran lies in the downtown of Surakarta. If you visit the palace early in the morning, you surely don’t have to spend the night around the palace. However, if you have a plan to visit more than one place in Surakarta, then you can think of the hotel you want to spend the night. Fortunately, there are many hotels in Surakarta you can select. Depending on your budget, you can select a hotel offering the rate that suits to your budget. You can select Novotel or Hotel Indonesia if you have more budget. While you can also stay in Dana Hotel if you want to stay in a mid-range hotel. If you are backpackers, you can stay in small lodges that are available in almost all parts of the city.  

          Visiting Puro Mangkunegaran offers you great experience since you can learn the history of the palace along with its greatest kings. This will be your greatest experience.