Borobudur A Mahayana Buddhist stupa

A Mahayana Buddhist stupa, Borobudur holds the honour of being the largest Buddhist monument found anywhere on this earth. It is located 41 km north west of Jogjakarta (Yogyakarta) in Central Java, a province of Indonesia. Though, there are no written historical records available to prove who actually constructed Borobudur and for what purpose, still the estimation of construction time suggests that it was built during the rule of Sailendra dynasty between 750-800 AD.

Later, in its history, Borobudur was deserted, the reason is again uncertain. Some earlier scholars believe that a famine caused by eruption in Mount Merapi was the reason while more recent scholars attribute the desertion to the shift of Javanese power from the area of Borobudur to the valley of the Brantas. After its abandonment, Borobudur was rediscovered by Lieutenant-Governor Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1814. He sent a group of men to make further investigations and from 1835 onwards work began to clear off the dense tropical vegetation that engulfed it. Drawings of reliefs were made and appeared in the first Borobudur monograph of 1873. Photographs were also taken which further helped in instilling a sense of appreciation for the Borobudur monument.

More about → Borobudur A Mahayana Buddhist stupa

Yogyakarta a central city of the Java culture

Located in the center of Java Island, bordered in the south by the Indian Ocean, which according to the Javanese belief is where the spirits of Queen of South dwells; and in the north by Mt Merapi, an active volcano which still believed as a home of sacred spirits. Just about 600 kms from Jakarta, the capital city and about 1000 kms from Bali, Yogyakarta city is easily reached by various transport connections, either by airlines or trains and buses.

As the former capitals and the centre of several kingdoms in the past, Yogyakarta and its people are very rich in cultural heritages. Civilization, traditional arts and culture had developed respectively in the times of the ancient Mataram Kingdom (8th - 10th century), the second Mataram Kingdom (17th - 18th century), and the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Kingdom from the mid of 18th century until nowadays. You will see many heritages here, not only ancient monuments like temples, but also the living culture in the form of various kind of traditional ceremonies, cultural events, traditional dances, performances, and batik painting, and much more.

As a tourism destination, Yogyakarta comes with three main point of interest:

* as the heart of Java culture, Yogyakarta is heavy colored by daily java culture lifestyle and customs, performing arts in certain occasions, under the governance of Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the King of Yogyakarta Kingdom and the governor of Yogyakarta Province, who lives in the Royal Palace of Yogyakarta nowadays.
* the most famous monuments from ancient cultures: the Borobudur Temple, the Prambanan Temple, and tens of smaller temples in and around of Yogyakarta.
* its natural beauties, the beaches and the magnificent mountain that can be reach within 30 minutes from the downtown, beautiful limestone caves and wild rivers to raft

Yogyakarta has attracted many people from all over the world to enjoy its beauty and amazing cultures from day to day. Supported by several luxury star hotels, well connected transportation, and a good travel plan, you can also explore the countryside of Yogyakarta while you stay in Indonesia with ease and comfortless.

More about → Yogyakarta a central city of the Java culture

Yogyakarta heritage buildings and monuments

Being one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, Yogyakarta has many heritage buildings and monuments. The number one must-see attraction is Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono’s palace, better known as Kraton Ngayogyakarto. Other heritage buildings from colonial era are: BNI ‘46 building, Kantor Pos Besar (Central Post Office) building, and Bank Indonesia building, all of them are located north of the Sultan’s ground. Other notable landmarks and attractions are:
- Tugu Monument. A well known landmark located in the center of downtown Yogyakarta. Originally built by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono VI, the top spire is a round sphere which represents the universe. During the colonial era, the spire was replaced with a golden cylinder.
- Benteng Vredeburg. A Dutch fort located in front of Gedung Agung (President’s Palace). A great example of the Dutch colonial architecture. Few warfare items is still preserved, including a twin cannons.
- Kotagede. The capital of ancient Islamic Mataram kingdom. Before independence, Kotagede was the central economic district of Yogyakarta, as it held the largest marketplace and was home to many wealthy batik merchants. Although some ancient buildings have been modernized or replaced with newer buildings, Kotagede remains a prime example of ancient Javanese architecture and city structure. Be sure to check out the local silver handicrafts.
- Imogiri, southwest of town. Graveyard of the Yogyakarta and Surakarta royal families. Currently closed due to damage sustained in the May 2006 earthquake.

Kotabaru, which used to be Dutch officials residential area, has few heritage homes as well as a colonial style church & monastery (Gereja Kotabaru) and a stadium (Stadion Kridosono).

Yogyakarta city was built with deep philosophy: the city was designed so that the main elements of the city forms a imaginary line. This straight line starts from Parangtritis on the coast, to Kraton Yogyakarta, to Tugu Monument, and finally to Mount Merapi. This represents Sultan’s strong relationship with the guardian spirits of Mt. Merapi and the beach of Parangtritis.

Mount Merbabu and Mount Merapi, Central Java Other popular destinations in the Yogyakarta region are:
North
- The massive Buddhist temple of Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, is 40 minutes away by car and one of the main drawcards for visitors to Yogyakarta.
- Kaliurang is a small town on the southern slope of Mount Merapi.
- Ketep offers a great vantage point for a spectacular view of Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu. This site has a small cinema which regularly shows an interesting documentary of Mount Merapi. Located in Muntilan, east of Borobudur, 40 minutes from Yogyakarta by car.
East
- The Hindu temples of Prambanan, just 20 minutes away, are a close second. The smaller temples of Kalasan and others are on the way to Prambanan.
- Ratu Boko palace, only 2 kms north of Prambanan. An ancient royal palace complex, similar in architectural layout with other Kratons or palaces in Java. Magnificently located on top of a hill, Ratu Boko has been recently restored.
South
- Parangtritis on the south coast is one of the better known beaches. Local folklore suggests that this beach is the palace of the legendary Nyai Loro Kidul or ‘Queen of the South’. It is common knowledge among locals not to wear anything green in color, or the Queen will entice the wearer into the ocean to drown. Warning: Never swim at Parangtritis beach. The wild waves is known to be extremely deadly: it has killed many people who ignored this precautions.

More about → Yogyakarta heritage buildings and monuments