Overview
The palace was founded after the treaty that split the old Mataram kingdom in two, and it was laid out as a diagram of Javanese cosmology, with courtyards, gates and open pavilions arranged along the axis from the volcano to the sea. It is staffed by abdi dalem, courtiers who serve in traditional dress for a nominal wage and consider the service itself the point. A museum wing holds the possessions of Hamengkubuwono IX, who led the sultanate into the republic.
Highlights
Come before ten for the daily performance in the pavilion — gamelan, wayang or classical dance depending on the day, included with entry. The Taman Sari water castle, the ruined bathing complex of the same court, is a ten-minute walk south-west and is worth the second ticket. Photography permits are sold at the gate, and the courtiers will point out what may not be photographed.