10 Historical Tourism Destinations in Jogja Full of Stories and Culture
Explore various historical tourist attractions in Jogja, from the Yogyakarta Palace to the Sonobudoyo Museum, to experience the beauty of captivating culture and history.
The Special Region of Yogyakarta is known for its natural beauty and deep cultural richness. For those of you who want to peek into the long history of this city, Jogja has many historical sites that are still well-preserved to this day.
Here are 10 historical tourist destinations in Jogja that are worth visiting for an unforgettable experience.
1. Yogyakarta Palace
The Yogyakarta Palace, known as Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, is a cultural and historical center that is still inhabited by the royal family.
In addition to seeing the magnificent buildings, visitors can see a collection of royal heirlooms such as carriages, keris, and banners. The palace is also recognized by UNESCO as one of the world heritage sites that enrich the history of the city of Jogja.
2. Taman Sari Palace of Yogyakarta
Taman Sari or Taman Sari Tourism Village is a bathing complex for kings built in the 18th century by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. Taman Sari has underground tunnels, unique mosques, and bathing pools that are favorite places for tourists to take pictures.
Among the Things to do in Gunung Kidul, the distinctive underground mosque building is the main attraction that showcases the stunning architecture and technology of the past.
3. Vredeburg Fort Museum
Vredeburg Fort Museum was built by the Dutch government in 1765 as a defense fort. In this museum, there are dioramas that tell the story of the pre-proclamation struggle, Dutch relics, and other historical collections.
This place is perfect for visitors who want to get information about the history of the Indonesian people’s struggle.
4. Monument to the Return of Yogya (Monjali)
The Yogya Kembali Monument, or Monjali, is a mountain-shaped museum built to commemorate the struggle of the Indonesian people in Yogyakarta. Monjali features dioramas and a Garbha Graha room to pray for the heroes.
The unique shape of the building and the historical collection inside make Monjali a must-visit destination for history lovers.
5. Prambanan Temple
Prambanan Temple is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, built in the 9th century. With a height of 47 meters, Prambanan Temple not only captivates tourists with its stunning architecture, but is also a location for events such as the Prambanan Jazz Festival. At night, the spotlights create a fantastic view that makes this temple even more enchanting.
6. Kotagede Palace
Keraton Kotagede is an old city site that was once the capital of the Mataram Sultanate in the 16th century. Here, you will find the concept of catur gatra tunggal spatial layout with mosque buildings, markets, town squares, and forts.
This palace offers a unique experience to understand the history of the Mataram kingdom that is still preserved in its architecture and layout.
7. Sonobudoyo Museum
Sonobudoyo Museum is an ideal place to get to know Javanese culture more closely. This museum has a collection of puppets, traditional weapons, mask art, and batik.
Interestingly, this museum also offers free batik classes for visitors. Complete museum facilities make the Sonobudoyo Museum an interactive and enjoyable place for cultural education.
8. Warungboto Site
Warungboto Site, located between two sub-districts, is known as Umbul Warungboto or Pesanggrahan Warungboto.
This site used to be a royal bathing place, complete with gardens and ponds. With its unique architecture and traditional feel, Warungboto Site is often an interesting photo spot for tourists.
9. Ullen Sentalu Museum
Ullen Sentalu Museum is located at the foot of Mount Merapi and displays a collection of art from the Mataram Kingdom, including paintings, statues, and reliefs.
The museum offers two types of tours: Adiluhung Mataram and Vorstenlanden, which are guided by museum staff. Each tour provides an in-depth explanation of the kingdom’s history, making a visit to the museum a rich learning experience .
10. Merapi Volcano Museum
Opened in 2009, the Merapi Volcano Museum (MGM) presents in-depth knowledge about volcanology phenomena, volcanic disasters, and the history of Mount Merapi eruptions.
The museum has various rooms with interesting themes such as Volcano World and Disaster Diorama, making it a very informative educational place about the relationship between humans and volcanoes.
By visiting various historical sites and museums in Yogyakarta, you can gain deep insight into the culture, history, and civilization that have existed for hundreds of years.
Each of the historical tourist attractions above offers a different experience, from the magnificent palace to the thrilling volcanology museum.
A vacation in Jogja will be even more complete with the experience of visiting these 10 historical tourist attractions that are full of cultural value, including the Tourist Attractions in Sleman.