Content ID – A peek at the Bathing Complex of the King’s Wives in Taman Sari, Yogyakarta. If a traveler is tired of going around the palace and Malioboro while on vacation in Yogyakarta then this one destination is worth your visit. Located 1 kilometer west of the Palace there is an old building called Taman Sari or Taman Sari Keraton Yogyakarta. This building is the site of a former palace garden or palace of the Yogyakarta Palace.
This garden was built during the time of Sultan Hamengku Bowono I in 1758-1765. Taman Sari means a beautiful garden which at that time functioned as a resting house for the royal family. Here also there is a bathing pool that is used by the wives of the king of Yogyakarta to relax and bathe.
In the bathing pool, there is also a room built on the level that faces directly to the pool. According to the tour guide of this complex, the room was used by the king to see his wives while bathing, from which the king chose which wife to accompany him at that time. To find out more about the bathing complexes of the king’s wives, let’s take a peek inside the building.
Taman Sari was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1867. After seeing the ruins of this building, some cultural experts say that this building has a multifunction. The first function, of course, as a vacation home for the royal family. The palace is very fitting for rest because it has artificial lakes and canals, bathing pools, and extensive gardens with various types of trees that make the air around the park fresh.
Another function of this building is as a place for sports and entertainment. This is evidenced by the existence of relics such as gamelan and objects of dance equipment. Besides this place is also used by the king to meditate and the most important is as a refuge for the sultan. Evidenced by the discovery of 2 defense rooms with 6 and 12 cannons in each room.
There are two complexes inside Taman Sari, the first being the Umbul Binangun or bathing pool complex. This complex is a bathing pool for the Sultan, his wives, and his daughters. Now, this section is surrounded by high walls and there is a story tower with the Sultan’s bedroom standing to the south of the bathing pool. From there the Sultan can see his wives bathing. It is said that there was a special place in the southern part of the palace that the Sultan used to meet the South Sea ruler or Nyi Roro Kidul.
The second complex is named Pulo Kenongo which is in the middle of Segaran Taman Sari or Taman Sari’s artificial lake which is connected by waterways to other artificial lakes near the palace. This is where there is a family room, a bedroom, a batik room, a hall for staging the classic sacred dance of Bedoyo and Srimpi and a guard room.
For travelers who visit Taman Sari do not need to worry about the facilities there. Don’t imagine you are just walking around the old building, but you can also shop for a variety of souvenirs typical of Yogya around the Taman Sari area. The ngasem market is located around this historic building complex. The market sells traditional products and household pottery. In this market batik painters also not only peddle their products but also demonstrate how to make batik.
There is also a hardware store that you can easily find along the alleyways of the Taman Sari complex. Around this 10-hectare garden area, there are also many food stalls that are ready to serve guests at any time. You can taste local specialties of Yogyakarta called Gudeg here. For lodging problems, you will easily find lodging in the city center because there are many star hotels and affordable lodging.
Because this building has a very important historical value, it helps you pay attention to the following things. Tourists are not permitted to take photos of the Sultan’s private bedroom in the Umbul Binangun swimming pool complex. If you want to get around the complex further you can use a pedicab so you don’t get tired.
Because some parts of the complex are open-air parks, don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and shoes, don’t forget to bring a hat because the temperature in Yogyakarta is quite hot. The most important thing to note is not to wear mini clothing when visiting the palace or Taman Sari to respect the local culture.
The way to get to Taman Sari can be done in two ways. First, through Ngasem Market, a traveler must go inside and find an alley named KP III then turn left on foot for 200 meters, there you will find Pulo Kenongo and a housing complex.
The second way is through Taman Sari street, from the Ngasem market, take a pedicab to Alun-Alun Selatan about half a kilometer, then there is the main East entrance which is the entrance to the royal swimming pool.
Location: Jl. Komp. Taman Sari, Patehan, Kraton, Yogyakarta
