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This guide does not list individual places yet.
Vredeburg Fort
A Dutch fort in front of Gedung Agung (the President's Palace). A great example of Dutch colonial architecture. A few military items are presented, including a twin cannon. Closed for renovation until May 2024 by Indonesian Heritage Agency.
The Dutch officials' residential area has some heritage homes, a colonial style church, monastery (Gereja Kotabaru), and a stadium (Stadion Kridosono).
The capital of the ancient Islamic Mataram kingdom. The tomb of its first king, Panembahan Senopati, is here in the royal graveyard. Before independence, Kotagede was Jogja's economic centre, as it had the largest market and was home to many wealthy batik merchants. Some of the older buildings have been modernised or replaced with newer buildings, but Kotagede remains a prime example of Javanese architecture and city structure. Check out the local silver handicrafts.
A downtown landmark. Built by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono VI, the spire was originally a sphere representing the universe. During the colonial era, the spire was replaced with a golden cylinder.
Alun-alun utara
Built for training the Sultan's army, it was opened to the public during the reign of Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX. Now used for the quarterly Garebeg parade held in the months of Maulud, Besar and Sawal, according to the Javanese calendar. In the parade, the Sultan's servants carry huge cone-shaped offerings to the alun-alun. After the parade, attendees scramble to get a scrap of the offering as it is believed to bring good luck. Prior to the month of Maulud, a popular public fair is held here for 30 days, offers many kinds of goods from traditional handicrafts to Chinese ceramics. A snack associated with the fair is the doughnut-like galundeng. On weekend or holiday nights, pedal cars decorated with lights (gowes) can be hired to make a circuit of the square.
A calm and elegant example of Javanese heritage with two separate entrances; the Main Court (Pagilaran and Siti Hinggil) and the Residence. The Main Court showcases the grandeur of the Sultan's monarchy, while the Residence is more homely, showcasing the royal family's luxurious lifestyle. There are regular free performances of music and dance. Check out the times when you arrive in Yogajakarta. (Every Sunday at 11:00 as of Oct 2015). There are three gamelans in the palace, and the pavilion nearest the entrance houses one of them. If it is being played, feel free to take a seat and enjoy it for a while. Residence museum has both Indonesian and English texts, and AC. Temporary exhibition Mar-Aug 2024 on Abhimantra or life rites of passage (part where no photo allowed). Small exhibition on the history of tea in Indonesia too (Indonesian text only). Without guide, no map or sign to help explore the larger grounds.