Surakarta Things to Do

Don't be misled by the plate "Mangkunegaran Palace Hotel", the Palace is in the area of Pura Mangkunegaran where the Mangkunegaran Hotel has been founded on the domain of the Palace. This is not actually a "kraton" but a 200-year-old Javanese aristocrat's home built on extra large, luxury and splendid scale. This is the palace of the junior line of the royal family, a princedom, as opposed to the Susuhunan's palace which is the seat of a kingdom.

Mangkunegaran is open to tourists since 1969. This smaller court, still an impressive palace complex, contains a number of carved, gilded teak pavillons amidst a great tropical garden, an excellent museum, souvenir shop, and one of Java's finest gamelan orchestras. See the dazzling regalia and art collection! There's also a library of old Dutch books and, when you go on Wednesday you may see the court dancing for free ...

The Solonese Pasar Klewer is the largest batik and textile market in Indonesia, also named "Hanging Market". In this two-storey market place near the Susuhunan's Kraton/Palace, a mad bustle of hundred of stalls offers traditional fabrics, bright batik, Western clothes, and ready-made Indonesian clothes, including stunning "luriks" (short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts).

If you're not used to hot, crowded and closed places you better stay away, it is really fun time to stumble around though...

Is Yogyakarta more distinguished, modern and pleasant than "Noble Solo" (also known as Surakarta), and only 60 km East of Yogyakarta? Would be particulary curious, for Solo is the ancient, older and more refined centre of royal Central-Java and traditional Jawa (older name for Java).

The Palace of Solo, Solo Kraton, got constructed in 1734-1746 along the Bengawan Solo river. Like Yogyakarta's Kraton the place is built like a town with its center simulating the hub of Cosmos. The centre is the inner royal residential complex where a network of narrow lanes and smaller compounds leads to the thick outer wall. Although there are 2 large squares Solo has no North-South processional boulevard like Yogyakarta's Kraton.

It seems the competition between Yogya & Solo represents the differences of "male" Yogya and "female" Solo, to be noticed in its traditions, rituals, ceremonies, art, dances etc. In fact it is still the Solo Kraton which is considered as the centre of the Javanese Universe (Kejawen by the Javanese) and for that the point of contact between Heaven and Earth. Even during catastrophic events! Which are all attributed to the "Manifest of an Invisible Spirit-queen".

See Webpage special designed to the Kraton >>>
Jawa-Palace

Pasar Gede Harjonagoro is one of the main traditional markets in Surakarta. When Sri Susuhunan Pakubuwono X (1839-1939) reigned the place was built by famous Dutch architect Thomas Karsten in Dutch colonialization of Indonesia time. So the building is of historical importance and has some historical value ...

It is the biggest traditional market downtown selling all manner of produce. The area still is the Chinese region of Solo, NE of the centre. So it is well-supplied with Chinese restaurants and, try the best and cheap fruit, Pasar Gede is well-known for it!

My father had asked me to visit the Djebres/Jebres Train Station to make some pics. There are 2 "socially-constructed" stations; the Solo Balapan - upper-class trains and Solo Jebres - economic class trains. Because of it old history the Djebres Train Station is worth a visit. From there you could go for a becak/rickshaw trip around and see some old Dutch places, like factories, hotels and traditional houses ...

The THR Sriwedari (Taman Hiburan Rakyat) is an amusement park and open daily to the public (only during special events is there an admittance charge). The Sriwedari wayang wong/orang troupe (abstract, symbolic dance plays by actor-dansers who dress up like golek puppets) is considered Indonesia's finest. See some of the best performances ...

The Sriwedari offers a park-like atmosphere with children's playground, and its Zoo has the widest selection of animals in Central-Java. Mostly it is not that crowded or when it's raining the park could be near empty. If so buy a Bintang Beer at one of the good cheap warung or buy some souvenirs in the art shops around. I've been there once with too many people around ... even the way to it was madness.