Sultan Palace-Water Castle-Prambanan Temple
Beautiful Prambanan Temple Tour
*/ ?>08.00 our crew will ready to pick up You at the hotel where you stay, first stop is visit Sultan Palace and Water Castle. The elegant Sultan Palace (Keraton) located in the centre of Jogjakarta, built on 1775 by Prince Mangkubumi or most famous called Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. its built right between Winongo river and Code river, a dried swamp land.
The front yard Sultan Palace called northern square and the back yard called southern square. The design of this building shows how is Sultan Palace , Tugu (Jogjakarta landmark) and Merapi volcano lay in a line and people believe it as a sacred thing, in past the Sri Sultan used to medicated in one part of the line before he lead some meeting or give an order to his men.
Sultan palace itself reflecting symbol and meaning of Religion, Philosophy and Culture. The huge of Sultan Palace is 14.000 m square and all designed by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. And Water Castle (Tamansari) still related with the main building Sultan palace its located 500m at the southern of the Palace, the architect of this castle is a Portuguese it's mixed of European and Javanese style. The castle divided it in 3 different main parts, First is Sacred part were a building looks different in a corner in past Sultan and family used this part for meditation. Second is swimming pool where Sultan and family spend the time for relaxation. Third is Kenanga part with tunnel inside it which connecting Water castle and Sultan palace.
Then drive 1h to reach Prambanan Temple, This beautiful temple was built on 9th century by 2 different Kings (Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung) with the height 47m means taller 5m than Borobudur temple. Located 17km at the eastern of Jogjakarta this temple reflecting the glory of Hindu period in the past. In main yard Prambanan has 3 temples facing to the east, Vishnu temple, Brahma temple and Shiva temple and each temples has accompany temple facing to the west. Garuda for Vishnu, Angsa for Brahma and Nandini for Shiva there about 234 other temples surrounding main temples.
Reliefs in Prambanan lade about Ramayana story and another interesting reliefs is Kalpataru tree which symbolic of life tree for Hindus adherent. Nowadays Indonesia Kalpataru symbol used for one of foundation which really concern with environment. Finish visit Prambanan temple our crew will drop off You back to the hotel and end the tour