| Geography
Yogyakarta is located in south-central Java. It is surrounded by the province of Central Java (Jawa Tengah) and the Indian Ocean in the south. The city is located at [show location on an interactive map] 7°47′S, 110°22′E.
 The population of DIY in 2003 was approximately 3,000,000. The province of Yogyakarta has a total area of 3,185.80 km². Yogyakarta has the second-smallest area of the provinces in Indonesia, after the Jakarta Capital Region. However it has, along with adjacent areas in Central Java, some of the highest population densities of Java.
Administrative divisions
Yogyakarta province is subdivided into four regencies (kabupaten) and one city (kota):
* Bantul Regency (506.86 km²)
* Gunung Kidul Regency (1,485.36 km²)
* Kulon Progo Regency (586.27 km²)
* Sleman Regency (574.82 km²)
* Yogyakarta City (32.5 km²)
Yogyakarta city
Located within the Yogyakarta province, Yogyakarta city is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. It is also famous as a center for Indonesian higher education. At Yogyakarta's center is the kraton, or Sultan's palace. While the city sprawls in all directions from the kraton, the core of the modern city is to the north.
History Sultan palace in Yogyakarta
The Yogyakarta Sultanate, formally the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, was formed in 1755 when the existing Sultanate of Mataram was divided by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in two under the Treaty of Giyanti. This treaty states that the Sultanate of Mataram was to be divided into the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat with Yogyakarta as the capital and Mangkubumi who became Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as its Sultan and the Sultanate of Surakarta Hadiningrat with Surakarta as the capital and Pakubuwono III who was the ruler of the Sultanate of Mataram as its Sultan. The Sultan Hamengkubuwono I spent the next 37 years building the new capital, with the Kraton as the centerpiece and the court at Surakarta as the blueprint model. By the time he died in 1792, his territory exceeded Surakarta's.
The ruler Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX (April 12, 1912 - 1988) held a degree from the Dutch Leiden University, and held for a time the largely ceremonial position of Vice-President of Indonesia, in recognition of his status, as well as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defense.
In support of Indonesia declaring independence from the Dutch and Japanese occupation, in September 5, 1945, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogya and Sri Paku Alam VIII in Yogya declared their sultanates to be part of the Republic of Indonesia. In return for this unfailing support, a law was passed in 1950, in which Yogyakarta was granted the status of province Daerah Istimewa (Special Region Province), with special status that recognizes the power of the Sultan in his own region's domestic affairs. Hence Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was appointed as the governor for life. During the Indonesian National Revolution against the Dutch after World War II (1945-1950), the capital of the newly-declared Indonesian republic was temporarily moved to Yogyakarta when the Dutch reoccupied Jakarta from January 1946 until August 1950.
The current ruler of Yogyakarta is his son, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who holds a law degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Upon the elder sultan's death, the position of governor, according to the agreement with Indonesia, was to pass to his heir. However, the central government at that time insisted on an election. In 1998, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X was elected as governor by the provincial house of representatives (DPRD) of Yogyakarta, defying the will of the central government. He remains the only governor in Java without a military background: "I may be a sultan," he has been quoted in Asia Week as saying, "but is it not possible for me to also be a democrat?" www.wikipedia.com Yogyakarta Place of Interest : WATER CASTLE
Taman Sari is a water castle that is located only about 1 kilometer at the west side of the Sultan Palace, Kraton Yogyakarta. It was built on the era of Sultan Hamengku Buwana I that was finally finished by Sultan Hamengku Buwana II. He built this place by creating a new style that was a combination and a mixture of Javanese and Portuguese architecture. Some say that Taman Sari has been built after the Treaty of Giyanti (1755). During the time, Sultan Hamengku Buwana has been dealing with battles and conflicts. Therefore, Taman Sari was intended to be a place where Sultans can find a peaceful heart and mind as a refreshing place. It was also created as a fortress to anticipate the emergency situation, as a place for worship that is also equipped with a little mosque at the Sumur Gumuling. Taman Sari consists of:
1. The Sacred Room
There is the sacred place in the complex showing a separated building, which once functioned as a hermitage place for the Sultan and his family
2. The Bathing Pool
This part was formerly a pleasure place for the royal family. Consists of two bathing pool that are separated with a 2-storey building. From this building the Sultan watched all the women swimming in the outer pool. Then he might ask some of them to accompany him into the inner pool. The water sprouts from a forming animal statue into the pool. The pool is also adorned with some big flowerpot.
3. Kenanga or Cemeti Island
This part compounds of some building such as Kenanga or Cemeti Island (forming Island), Sumur Gemuling and underground tunnels.
Taman Sari was once a beautiful and sophisticated water-park that long time years ago was also called as 'Segaran' which is in the Javanese word means artificial sea. Long time ago, every time Sultan visited the park, he went there by rowing a private canoe through the suspension bridge called 'Kreteg Gantung' which lay in front of the palace gate, southward or northward Kemandungan. The remainder of the building that was once connected by the suspension bridge can still be seen. Besides water transportation, there was also an underground passage or alley from the Kraton of Yogyakarta leading to one of the park buildings which is called Pasarean Ledok Sari. Formerly, the water castle was not only a beautiful park but also the means of avoiding danger. Whenever the enemies attacked the palace, Sultan and his family would flee away through the underground passage. When all were in a safe place, the Watergate would be opened and the water would overflow the passages and the enemy would be sunk. One part of the place was called Pulau Kenanga because in the front of the front yard of the building grew Kenanga trees (Canangium Odoratum). The flowers spread out the sweet fragrance through all parts of the park. The lofty buildings such as the pond were built especially for the Sultan and his family as a bath-place. The underground passage leading to the west area, and the bulwark which encircled the area of the palace, as well as the one which leads south ward to a small village called Krapyak, have been restored. Versions on the Establishment of Taman Sari:
First Version
This version states that, in Mancingan (a place in beach of south Yogyakarta), there was a unknown person whom the people consider him as a spooky. He did not speak Javanese. As the people took him to Sultan Hamengku Buwana II, the king took him as a servant in the palace. Afterward, the strange man began to speak Javanese. He said that he was a Portuguese. By Sultan, He then was declared as an architect. Sultan Hamengku Buwana II ordered him to establish a fortress. For his work, the Portuguese was promoted as a demang called Demang Portegis or Demang Tegis. It was Demang Tegis who was considered as the architect of the Taman Sari. The concept of the building was known came from Portugal seen from its art and design.
Second Version
The second version states that once upon a time, the regent of Madiun named Rangga Prawirasentika who has served Sultan Hamengku Buwana I for years asked him to be freed from the taxes obligation. Rangga Prawirasentika will agree with certain conditions if only Sultan Hemengku Buwana I asked him to complete the ornament of the palace. Sultan then agreed with the condition. By Sultan Hamengku Buwana I, in 1684 Raden Rangga Prawirasentika was ordered to create brick stones and other materials to make a garden as a place for recreation as the result several wars. The order was marked by 'Sengkalan Memet' that stated atur Naga Rasa Tunggal' (1684). To establish the garden, the project was led by Raden tumenggung Mangundipura and directed by K.P.H. Natakusuma, who later became K.G.P.A.A. Paku Alam I (Sultan's son from his wife Bendara Raden Ayu Srenggara). The making of Gua Siluman is begun 1687 and marked with candra sengkala Pujining Brahmana Ngobahake Pajungutan (1687). The doors and the gates, then finished in 1691. The end of the project was marked with Sengkalan Memet 'Lajering Kembang Sinesep Peksi' (1691). It described birds that absorbed the honey of the flowers. This version also explained that the price to create the garden was even bigger that the amount of money to be submitted for two years. Raden Rangga Prawirasentika then asked Sultan to cancel the project. Sultan agreed and ordered K.P.H. Natakusuma to finish the garden with his own money. Jogjakarta for UNIQUE HERITAGE and CULTURE
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