Kotabaru, The Old City

Cool weather will greet you when you pass by the area north east of Malioboro, the area to the east side of Code River that is now named Kotabaru. Shady trees grow in the center space of the streets, sheltering people from the sun and dividing the two-way street. With old buildings standing firmly on both sides of the street, Kotabaru area becomes an area worth more than being passed by. Kotabaru, previously named Nieuwe Wijk, is an area that has been improving since 1920 as consequence of increased crowdedness of Loji Kecil area. The growth of sugar industry, plantation, and increased interest of developing education and health increased the number of Dutch people who lived in Yogyakarta. Kotabaru becomes an alternative dwelling area with complete facilities, similar to Menteng area in Jakarta.

You will feel distinctive impression once you enter this area. The design of the area was set following radial pattern as common towns in Netherlands. It is different from other areas in Yogyakarta that most of them were set following points of compasses. Big trees, plants of flowers and fruits in this area signaling that Kotabaru was designed as a garden city, completed with boulevard wide streets. Each corners of Kotabaru are not only beautiful, but they also keep stories. Kewek road as the south entrance of this area, for example, keeps funny story. The bridge road connecting the east and west sides of Code River was named Kerkweg road; due to difficulty to pronounce such a word by Javanese people, it became Kewek. Forming as a bridge, the road that is now named Abubakar Ali is also called Kreteg Kewek.

Directing northwards from Kreteg Kewek, you will find Saint Anthony church. Characteristic of European building can be seen from the high minaret in the front part of the church, 16 big concrete columns, and the concave ceiling. The church that was built in the year 1926 and was previously named Antonius van Padua began to grow when the praying place in Mr Perquin's house (in front of Syuhada Mosque) did not accommodate the Catholics anymore.Entering Kotabaru further, you will find some historical buildings, for example Saint Ignatius College building that was used as the office of Defense Ministry, the building of SMAN 3 (high school) as AMS building, the building of SMP 5 (junior school) that was used as Normalschool, and the building of SMU BOPKRI I (high school) that was functioned as Christelijke MULO building and Military Academy. You will find also the office of Tourism Council as the end of the guerilla war by General Soedirman, an Indonesian national hero that was famous for his guerilla struggle.One building that is architecturally pronounced is Bimo building. The building was designed with art deco concept, an architecture that grew fast in 1920s-1930s, giving priority to local traditional aspect by being open to new things and accompanied by the spirit to be different from the existing buildings. The shape of Bimo building is stretching like other characteristic European buildings, but the upper front part is in arching form.Other prominent, historical building is the office of Jiwasraya Insurance. During the Dutch colonization, this building was inhabited by an officer of Nill Maatschappij Insurance Company, while during the Japanese colonization it was dwelled by Butaico Major Otsuka, a Japanese army senior officer. On 6 October 1945, this building was used as a meeting place between Moh Saleh Bardosono and Otsuka in the frame of weapons handover.If you not yet satisfied looking the old buildings, you can walk along each corners of Kotabaru. A row of old buildings with Dutch architecture is found easily. Some of them having historical value are the building located at the end of the road leading to Gondolayu Bridge that used to function as the office of Foreign Affairs, the house of Brigadier General Katamso to the east of Kridosono Stadium, and the building of electricity post with characteristic Dutch design.

The corners of Kotabaru now grow dynamically. There are some cafes to relax after joining tour to enjoy the old cities, an art gallery to hold exhibitions, and some places where you can taste various cuisines, even a gymnastic place. The enchantment of Kotabaru as a garden city can still be enjoyed while sitting and sheltering on either side of the street.

References :

www.yogyes.com

Tugu Station

The station is located near Malioboro street in Yogyakarta. When you step for the first time on Tugu Railways Station, your mind will go along the station as if you are brought to the past, the era of Dutch colonialism, since the building is a heritage made by the Dutch. Tugu Railways Station becomes one of the witness of Indonesian people's history and it gives you the trails through details of the building, of exterior and interior which blend with the business in the railways station.

Trains that pass through Tugu station :

    * Argo Dwipangga to Gambir and Solo Balapan

    * Argo Lawu to Gambir and Solo Balapan

    * Argo Wilis to Bandung and Surabaya Gubeng

    * Bima to Gambir and Surabaya Gubeng

    * Gajayana to Gambir and Malang

    * Mutiara Selatan to Bandung and Surabaya Gubeng

    * Lodaya Malam to Bandung and Solo Balapan

    * Lodaya Siang to Bandung and Solo Balapan

    * Sancaka to Surabaya Gubeng

    * Taksaka to Gambir

    * Turangga to Bandung and Surabaya Gubeng

Lempuyangan is The Older Train Station

Jogja as one of train operational zone (DAOP VI) in java have 3 train station : Tugu, Lempuyangan, Maguwo. Where is the older train station? Tugu? you wrong, because Lempuyangan established before. But because of the position of Tugu Station where is near Malioboro Street which very famous for tourists made lempuyangan not known well. Today Economic Class Train will stop only at lempuyangan, Executive Class and Business Class will stop at Tugu, except Prameks (Business Class) which will stop at 3 train station in jogja.

Economic class as the major passenger in train transportation made management of Lempuyangan station build East Gate and closed West Gate as ticketing area. East Gate is a new gate with new and better design than the West Gate that build long long time ago.

 

Railway services that utilise this station :

    * Bangunkarta to Pasar Senen and Jombang

    * Bengawan to Tanah Abang and Solo Jebres

    * Fajar Utama Yogya to Pasar Senen

    * Kahuripan to Padalarang and Kediri

    * Logawa to Purwokerto and Jember

    * Matarmaja to Pasar Senen and Malang

    * Pasundan to Bandung Kiaracondong and Surabaya Gubeng

    * Prambanan Ekspress to Kutuarjo and Solo Balapan

    * Progo to Pasar Senen

    * Senja Utama Solo to Pasar Senen and Solo Jebres

    * Senja Utama Yogya to Pasar Senen

    * Sri Tanjung to Banyuwangi

References :

www.wikipedia.com

www.stayinjogja.blogspot.com

Ambarketawang, The First Palace of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Kingdom

I visited this one of historical sites in Yogyakarta at 27 October 2006. Fortunately, this site is not far from my home, say about 3 km. This ruin of palace is located in Padukuhan Tlogo, Ambarketawang, about 6 Km of southwest from the city of Yogyakarta. This Palace was established by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. He used in this site as temporary palace, while he was building the new Mataram Palace (present Kraton mataram Yogyakarta).

This is the remnant of Ambarketawang Palace, consist of ruins of Pendopo, wall, and Padusan (old well and bathroom), also Kestalan (horse barn).Through an excavation in 1981 there are two findings i.e. monumental findings (fence, archway, ground plan of the buildings I and II, urung-urung and gunungan) and non-monumental findings (pieces of foreign ceramics, pieces of local ceramics, and fragments of metals) as recorded on the study result of Provincial Office of Education and Culture DIY, Geology Park and Historical Remnants of Ambarketawang, 1981.

To the east of the wall, there is a big stone encircled with iron fence. The big stone was pas of a limestone hill existing in the area. The story tells that it was the existence of the limestone hill deciding the location of the palace construction. Now, the hill has disappeared since much of the limestone was utilized to build houses.To the right of the big stone, there is a stage as big as the stone, which is not part of the pesanggrahan. The stage was used in one of the offering ceremonies, namely the slaughtering of bekakak (the mannequin of bridal couple). This ceremony is held in commemoration of the many people who were killed while collecting the limestone and now it is done once a year after the date of 20 of Javanese month Sapar.

 

Generally, the procession of the offering ceremony is done until the front part of pesanggrahan Ambarketawang. Various art performances such as leather puppet, macapat, gamelan and so on are held there. Tarsono told that the offering ceremony that is often called as Saparan is still crowded by visitors both from nearby areas and from distant villages.If we come to visit pesanggrahan Ambarketawang when Saparan ceremony is held, the enchantment of the first area of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat kingdom will be complete. However, if you do not have time to visit on the day, you can still enjoy its history anytime. At least, you can enjoy the enchantment of the area of this pesanggrahan. No expenses are imposed to enter this area.

 

References :

www.wikimapia.org

www.mahandisyoanata.multiply.com
www.yogyes.com